Glade Life
by Cren Cru
Summary: What was life like before Thomas and Theresa showed up? We all know how it was told, but how did some of those rules come about? How were the Griever's discovered? Who was the first to become a runner and look around the Maze? How did the Glader's way of life become normal and routine? And what if one girl had been sent up, was it a mistake or was it all part of the Maze?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, sorry, I forgot to introduce this. I haven't been on the site for awhile, but I am back, with more free time now. Hopefully, this new story will be exciting for you**!

* * *

Newt had been the second boy to come up in the Box

After him, it had been Gally and after him, Minho and after him, Fry Pan; a pattern soon developed.

It was the same month after month, always another boy, terrified, confused and alone. No memory and no name to speak of until the latter came back to them as like a distant dream. Alby would calm them down the best he could, explain to them all he knew and from then on, it was up to them on how they would react. They had all been brave, steadily adapting to the new existence; every boy had his place and every boy did his job. After the sixth boy had come up, Alby began to sense the pattern would be consistent.

The supplies came up in the Box with each boy were simple, but enough to last them a month before the next lift and the next boy. The amount of food never increased and for some time, Alby had worried about feeding all the new mouths. But Newt had an easy solution and soon began planting the seeds of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and zucchini. By the time that the sixth boy had come up, the Glade had it's own little garden to boast and the supplies maintained them.

The life in the Glade was manageable, but the questions followed them, tormentingly persistent in the dark of night. Why were they here? And, were they ever going to get out?

* * *

Alby and Gally sat out in the sun, close by the box; it was the seventh month and the next boy was due to arrive any moment now. Newt was tending the gardens and a few of the others boys were chipping away at small branches; they would eventually be tied to make a roof. A week after Gally's arrival, the three boys had dug out a large hollow close to their hammocks. It was a multiple purpose gathering place and the roof would serve as a protection from rain and... anything else. Little progress had been made with so few hands not many branches were readily available from the ground; the boys were too heavy to climb the trees and the attempts made had yielded little, other than some close calls.

Gally had taken a break from the work to wait with Ably by the Box, the dark leader was preparing to welcome yet another boy to the Glade.

A dull metallic groan beyond the open doors before them caused Gally to look up. Alby didn't react, fiddling with a blade of grass as he listened for the box.

"How long do you think those walls go for?"

Alby looked up at the large open doorway, through which you could see dirt floor, high, stone walls and thick, choking vines crisscrossing overhead. The Glade was covered on all sides by high rising walls; the mystery of them remained unanswered for the moment. He looked away.

"I don't know,"

Gally glanced at him out the corner of his eye.

"So you're not going to let Minho out there? He's been pretty insistent on it lately,"

Alby nodded absentmindedly, peeling a thin strip of the blade of grass. Minho, one of the boys currently working on the roof had been asking, more like begging, Alby to let him beyond the door. The walls seemed to go on and on and there had to be something significant out there. Alby had discouraged all attempts thus far.

"He's curious, just like we all are. Curiosity killed the cat, Gally. We don't know what's out there,"

Gally squinted up at the sun for a moment and then looked back at Alby, seeming to swallow back frustration.

"But it also reaps answers, don't give me that shit Alby. For all we know, we're going to be here forever. But if we aren't, shouldn't we at least figure out what we're dealing with out there?"

Alby finally met his gaze, his face unreadable.

"We aren't going to be here forever Gally. This place, everything, it's too neat to be a forever situation. Supplies every month, a new boy with it, why would someone go to all that trouble for us to settle here?. This is... it could be a test,"

Gally looked incredulous, unbelieving.

"A test? A test for what?"

Alby shrugged, turning his attention once again to the blade of grass between his fingers.

"Survival. The supplies are always the same, Gally. WCKD on the side of every box, it has to mean something. The walls out there, they have the same letters on them. Someone built this place and we're here for a reason. But it isn't forever,"

"So if it isn't forever, why won't you let Minho go? If it's a test, there must be a way out, right? You've been, why not him?"

Alby let the green stalk float away in the little breeze, bending down slowly to pick up another one before he answered.

"I went out there on my second day here, I was alone and I was scared, Gally. Which also means I was careless. Those walls move, I don't why, but it's never the same from one day to the next. I was foolish and I almost got stuck. I didn't make it back until the next day. If that happens to Minho, what if he can't get back? I didn't see anything while I was out there, I wasn't looking for it either. But I heard it, Gally,"

Gally leaned forward, his interest peaked. He had only heard the parts of Alby story and was eager for the rest.

"So there is something out there. You won't admit it to the rest yet, but there is something?"

Alby nodded slowly, as if unwilling to confirm it.

"I told you though, I didn't see anything,"

"But you heard it?"

Alby nodded, looking back up at the door.

"You've heard it Gally, those cries in the night. I know the boys don't believe it's just the wind,"

Gally sniffed, leaning back as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"So that's why you discourage Minho? C'mon, you know he can run and you know he's faster than you. You've seen him. He could outrun whatever it is out there and he's gonna convince you sooner or later,"

Alby nodded.

"Probably,"

"So you have to let him out there! If we aren't meant to stay here forever, there must be a way out, right? What if the walls changing is just to confuse us, but there's just a door on the other side, wide open for us?"

Alby looked at him over his forehead.

"The walls are all around us Gally, it's not straight. The shifting of the walls is periodic, there must be a pattern to it,"

Gally leaned forward again.

"So you think it's some kind of maze?" Gally lowered his voice. "You think it's some kind of puzzle that we have to solve; is that what you mean by a test?"

Alby didn't look up.

"It's just a theory, I can't prove it, but I don't want the others to know. If it's a maze, then there has to be a way to solve it," Alby finally looked up, keeping Gally's gaze. "But listen, Gally, this place is huge, that 'maze' is massive and we don't know what all is out there. Those... things; I don't know what they are and neither do you and neither does Minho. I don't want to risk losing anyone. What if losing someone means we fail the test? Have you thought of that? What if one of us is killed and that's it? Then all this goes away and maybe, maybe it'll be something worse. As of right now, we're safe, we have food to eat, water to drink and a place to sleep. Right now, is all we need,"

Gally sat back, frowning unhappily, his answers clearly not answered. Alby gave him a hefty pat on the shoulder and looked back at the box.

"Let me talk to Minho. I'll reconsider once we have another boy with us. Maybe another good runner to go with him. Two is always better than one. I won't let anyone go out alone,"

Gally scowled and did not reply. Alby smiled and reached to pick up another blade of grass. Just as he did, the shuddering sound of sharp, creaking metal caught both of their attention. Gally leapt up, the anticipation urging him forward, and started jogging toward the Box. The other' had heard it as well and were coming closer.

Alby stood up slowly, knowing that his pace would not stop the Box from coming. Gally was already standing near the edge, staring down at the Box as it made it's way up the escalator like-tunnel in the middle of the Glade. The screeching of metal on metal was only just bearable by the miles of dirt that muted its climbed to reach the top. The others boys were gathering around the hole as well, excitement spiking the air as they prepared to welcome the newcomer to the Glade.

Winston, the newest boy to join the group was being playfully shoved around by the others; he would no longer be the Greenie. The term had been developed by Alby when Newt had first arrived. The skinny boy had been terrified when he had shown up, but his gardening skills had quickly calmed his nerves and Alby had called him green thumb until Gally had shown up. The term had caught on and the newest arrival endeared the name until the next new boy appeared. Needless to say, it was one spark of humour amidst that disguised the chaos and confusion.

Alby approached the Box just as it clunked into place. The continuing noises of shutting down only added to the rising anticipation of the new Greenie arriving. The Box gave one last shudder and then opened slowly, the blazing light of the Glade shining down onto several WCKD stamped boxes, a few lazily covered cages and right in the middle was the shaking figure.

It was a girl.

* * *

 **Okay, and here we go. I have quite a headway on this one, I think about thirteen or so chapters, I may lull off a bit in June, but I will do my best to finish this one and all my others ones. Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a review when you are done**


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so I'll try to edit and post as fast as I can, but I also have to write some more for my other stories. Thank you for reading and enjoy!

* * *

Silence stood among the boys as they looked down into the Box and in turn, the girl squinted up at them. She had short, dark brown hair that was damp with sweat; her thin figure covered only in a thin red flannel shirt and shorts, her bare legs were pale.

From across the Box, Newt looked up to Alby.

Why in the world had the Box sent up a girl? The question was in the tall, tussled brunettes eyes. Alby did not have an answer for him. He knelt down beside the Box, a piece of grass still between his fingers. The girl, who had raised her hand to block out the sun, stared up at the boys with fear sparkling in her eyes

"Where am I?" Her voice was pitiful, desperate and so low that they hardly heard her. Whispered muttering passed between the boys and Alby smiled kindly at her when she looked his way, her question unanswered.

"You're in the Glade, do you want to come up?"

The girl whimpered, confusion etched all over her face. The boys began to speak freely, accusingly as they themselves became as confused as the girl.

"It's a girl?"

"Why did they send up a girl?"

"She's too small to do anything!"

Alby gestured to Gally with a flick of his hand and Gally waved off the Glader's with a flick of his hand before jumping down into the Box, startling both the girl and a few chickens in a cage close beside her. The girl screamed, the sight of blonde giant frightening her even more and she scrambled to back up, hitting the wall of the Box.

"C'mon, you don't want to stay down here," Gally took a step closer, but she screamed, louder than before and he stopped. Looking back up at Alby, Gally threw up his hands, the easily frustrated blonde was already at his limit. Alby gestured him forward; she would have to come out eventually. Gally turned around and approached her once more, her screams causing some of the other boys to back up. Gally ducked into a crouch and picked her up, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her still.

"Come on, I'm not hurting you!"

"Put me down!" The girl's wriggled in his grasp and Gally hoisted her up over the Box wall. The girl kicked and flailed her arms, continuing to scream as Newt and Fry Pan pulled her the rest of the way. She struggled in their arms for a moment and they were finally forced to let her drop onto the grass. As quickly as she landed on hands and knees, she twisted and backed away as the curious faces of the boys looked down at her from all around. Her screams quieted and soon she began to whimper.

Gally had jumped back up out of the Box, looking angry.

"Slim it, would you!"

"Bloody hell Gally, stop yelling at her!" Newt took the defensive as Alby walked around the Box to join them, quieting the muttering of the Glader's. They stepped back as he joined Gally and Newt in front of the girl. Gally glared at Newt as he pointed at the newcomer.

"Not until she stops screaming!"

"She has!"

Alby shushed them and they quieted, looking back at the girl.

She had continued backing up, nearly six feet from the boys now. Alby, aware of her delicate state, crouched down, coming down to her level. Newt followed suit while Gally only crossed his arms and glared. Her eyes followed their movement; she was breathing heavily and her wide eyes were filled with fear.

Alby smiled at her again.

"Come on now, it's not all that bad. We aren't going to hurt you,"

"Unless you keep screaming," Gally was ticked, his voice stern and threatening. The girl backed up again.

"Gally!" Alby he shot the blonde a warning look and he shut his mouth, still steaming. Alby turned back to the girl.

"We won't hurt you, you don't have to scream. It won't change anything. You're in the Glade and we," he gestured to the remaining boys "are your new family. I promise, we won't hurt you, you're safe here. I'll explain all when you're ready,"

The girl didn't move and she didn't scream, closing her mouth slowly although her breathing was still heavy and ragged. She slowly turned her head around to take in her surroundings. The big stone walls, specifically, the gaping open doorway to the right of them, the trees off in the far corner, the garden Newt had grown and the small stick huts that the boys had been working on. She took in the faces of the boys themselves, the dirt and grime that stained their faces. The clothes that were just as dirty and full of holes. She looked once more into the face of Gally and then back to Alby.

"Why am I here?" Her voice had returned to small, tiny noise and tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Where is this place?" The girl gathered herself up into a ball, a protective crouch as she continued to cry. Gally rolled his eyes and turned away, exasperated. Alby glanced at him quickly and then took a few steps closer to the girl.

"I know it's all confusing and nothing makes sense. It was the same for everyone. Do you remember anything? Your name?"

The girl, her head buried in her knees and covered by her arms, shook her head and continued to cry.

"I don't remember anything," she raised her head and looked at Alby, her face red from the tears. "Why can't I remember anything?"

Gally piped up again.

"It's the same for everyone! Crying is going to help you!"

The girl ducked her head. Alby stood up.

"Gally! Stop it! It was different for everyone. If I recall right, you cried more than Newt did,"

Gally opened his mouth to speak, the boy's behind them snickered and he turned on them. They stopped, barely containing smiles as they looked back at Alby. Alby watched Gally, his hands on his hips. The blonde scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. Alby then walked slowly up the girl and crouched down right beside her. Gently, he lay his hand on her shoulder, she flinched and looked up, but did not move away.

"Why can't I remember?" Her voice was barely a whisper and Alby smiled sympathetically.

"Your name will come back to, I promise. My name is Alby, that one is Newt," He gestured to his second in command and the skinny gardener gave her a friendly smile. "And you'll learn the others later, tonight actually," The girl still looked confused, but Alby continued as she began to calm. "We're celebrating your arrival tonight. It's your first day, Greenie," Alby stood up and extended his hand to her. The girl wiped her eyes with the edge of her shirt and tentatively took Alby's hand. He smiled encouragingly at her and helped her stand, holding her arm up.

"We have ourselves a new Greenie, boys!"

A cheer rose up from the boys; Newt and Minho exchanged a look before joining in. Alby knew they would have questions and he knew he could do very little to answer them all. He continued as the noise died down.

"We have lots to do, set up for the fire. Fry Pan get a meal going, remember, we're celebrating! Gally, Minho, Newt… met me in half an hour for a briefing,"

The girl tugged her arm away and stepped back, the chatter and orders overwhelming her. Alby beckoned Jeff forward and he introduced him to the girl.

"This is Jeff, he's our Med Jack. He'll take you to that little hut, just over there," He pointed over the girls head and she looked in his direction. "He's just going to make sure nothing is broken. Are you alright with that?"

The girl eyed Jeff warily as beckoned her to follow him.

"Come on, it won't hurt, I promise," The friendliness in his eyes soon softened her and she followed him toward the hut.

The rest of the boys had dispersed when Alby turned back, Winston the only one left, jumping down into the Box to collect the supplies. Alby joined him; the supplies would need to be unpacked and stored as quickly as possible. He smiled down at the boy.

"No longer the Greenie, eh Winston?"

Winston laughed and passed Alby the chicken cage.

"Feels great!"

* * *

"A girl?! Why in the hell did a girl come up in the Box?"

Newt, Minho, Gally and Alby were all sitting in the hollowed out dugout. There was little to no roof up yet and the shade was minimal. Gally, who was in charge of the project, was hoping to finish the project in a month.

Alby rubbed his face with his hands a few times before he answered Gally, still fuming from the whole scene at the box.

"I don't know any more than you do Gally. All we know is that the supplies haven't changed and the girl is the same as any other. No memory of who she is or why she's here,"

Gally threw his hands up in the air and turned a circle; he was the only one of the four who had not sat down.

"But what good is a girl? We need strong hands to build!"

"She can still work in the garden or work with Fry Pan. They aren't completely useless," Newt spread his hands casually, hardly bothered by Gally's energy.

Gally shook his head.

"But this is a change! Things are changing now. How many other things are going to change around here?"

Minho joined the conversation, taking the opportunity right out from under Gally.

"He's right Alby, things are changing. We have to deal with this eventually. You got to let me go check it out. We need to know what's out there!"

Alby sighed; he should have known Minho would not back down.

"Minho you're not going out there by yourself. If something happens to you, we wouldn't be able to help you. I won't let you die out there!"

Minho shook his hands, staving Alby's lecture.

"Why are you so quick to assume that I won't make it? I can run! You know this! We had the test and I won! I'm the fastest runner we have,"

Alby put his hands up in surrender.

"I don't doubt your ability to run Minho. But you've already said, we don't know what's out there. And I think you can all agree, that something is,"

Silence. Minho spoke again.

"Those noises, right?"

Alby nodded, slouching.

"I can't confirm or deny it, but it's something. The boys already know I'm not telling the whole truth. There is something out there,"

Newt's piped up.

"Did you see it? You know, when you were out there,"

Alby shook his head.

"I only heard it that night. I didn't see anything. Either it was too dark or it wasn't close enough. But it certainly wasn't anything human as far as I could tell,"

The boys remained quiet until Gally spoke up.

"Well, why hasn't it come into the Glade? The doors are open all day, why haven't we seen it?"

Alby shook his head.

"Maybe it can't. Maybe whatever it is, it has to stay out there. It's all part of this big test,"

Newt cocked his head.

"This is the first I've heard of a test. You think this is all some kind of bloody game?"

Alby nodded, leaning forward as he lowered his voice.

"I have to believe this is all a test, some sort of big puzzle that we were sent here to solve. Why else do we get monthly supplies? Whoever put us here intended us to attempt to survive,"

Minho nodded in agreement.

"So there is a way out, there must be! Maybe whatever those things are, they're just another part of the puzzle. An obstacle trying to stop us from finding a way out,"

Alby could not ignore the logic.

"I won't argue with you. But what if one of those things kills you, Minho? Is that a test too?"

Silence once again hung in the air. Gally looked at the floor while Newt and Minho looked at Alby.

"We should have a try at it though, right?" Newt sounded uncertain.

Alby nodded slowly.

"I never said I didn't want to try, but I won't let you go in there alone Minho. Not without someone else to get you out of their if something happens,"

Minho nodded.

"What about Winston?"

Alby looked at him. Minho shrugged and laid out the facts.

"I know he isn't the fastest, but he was a close second behind me in the run and no one else could do it. It's monthly, after a few months, we'll have more boys, better runners and we could surely try to map that place out. Find out where the exit it. We could do it!"

"But what if that was the last one?" Gally rerouted the conversation to his initial complaint. "We have a girl out there! What if no one else comes up? What if this is it?"

The boys didn't reply. Alby decided he had better lay out a plan before things got out of hand.

"We won't know until next month and until then, that girl out there is still our newest Greenie. She didn't ask to be put here any more than any of us did. We can only do what we've always done. She'll be given a position and she'll be expected to pull her weight just like you and I. But, she is a girl and therefore I expect you four to look out for her. Make sure nothing happens to her,"

Gally snorted.

"Like what?"

Alby folded his hands.

"Well, it was you who asked Gally, what are girls good for? They can only do one thing that boys can't. I know this is the last thing on anyone's mind, but I know more than anyone what it's like to be alone and hopeless. You understand, don't you?"

Gally's face turned red and backed up, nearly stumbling. Newt and Minho duck their heads, hiding their smiles at Gally's embarrassment. Alby looked at them for confirmation. Newt gave the thumbs up, still smiling

"I'll look out for her,"

"Me too," Minho was still trying not to laugh as he nodded to Alby. Gally fumed, frustrated as he attempted to explain.

"I didn't mean that! I meant- well I meant… you know what I meant!"

Alby stood up, a sign that they were done talking.

"I know what you meant Gally," he patted his shoulder as he walked by, calling over his shoulder to Minho. "Go out tomorrow with Winston, report everything you see to me when you get back,"

"Got it! Thank you, Alby!"

Newt and Minho bursting into laughter after Alby had left and Gally glared at them.

"Slim it!"

* * *

Thank you again for reading and please review! I like to know how you guys like the stories. Cheers!


	3. Chapter 3

**One more addition before I call it quits for the day, thanks again for reading!**

* * *

The night came as it always did.

The sunset over the walls, washing the Glade in deep shades of blue, purple and darkness. The heat from sun rays wafted off the rocks and trees for some time after, until the coolness of a summer's night took its place. The chirping of night time creatures filled the air and shining stars peaked out of the carpet of the sky.

All and all it was the same as any other night; except for the churning, grinding, rumbling of the stone walls, shifting together as they moved and changed. The Doors, which had been open all day, as every other day, rumbled to a close and that was it.

The end of another day; it was Alby's seventh month.

A large celebratory fire had been lit and the boys were gathered around it, sharing in one of Fry Pan's all-in-one-pot meals of fresh vegetables, herbs and chicken. They were celebrating the arrival of the new girl, although it seemed she was in no mood to celebrate with them. Jeff had appeared a few minutes after the lighting of the fire and explained that she had fallen asleep in the hut after he had checked her over. Alby thought it best not wake her.

"We can still celebrate right?" He was determined not to let the confusion and bizarre events of the day ruin what little joy the boys had in the Glade. The boys agreed heartily and continued their meal, passing around mason jars of Gally's moonshine; Alby himself didn't quite know what it was, all he knew was that he used a lot of the leaves and herbs from the garden. The taste was horrible, but it kept you warm and it was a crowd favourite.

Gally was still sour from the day's events, but he sobered up enough to stride into the Fight Ring. The ring was a circle of sand not far off from the fire, it was maintained for the boys to challenge each other in fights. Gally had thought of it himself, telling Alby that it was a good way for the boys to let off steam, to get something off their chest if there was a dispute. The worst injury anyone had endured was a split lip and some bleeding gashes, but no bones had been broken yet, so Alby allowed it to continue.

So there he stood, the blonde giant, goading on Winston as the fresh non-Greenie was enticed into the ring by his comrades. The brawny Glader was eventually pushed in by Fry Pan and Newt and soon found himself brawling with Gally.

Alby, a mason jar in his hand, lay across a rock close by the fire, watching the match. Minho came to stand behind him and Alby turned his head to nod to the black haired boy. Minho was strapping a small brown leather backpack onto his shirt; Alby raised an eyebrow at him.

"You planning on climbing the wall and leaving now?"

Minho smiled, finished the buckles only to take it back off.

"Just making sure I have everything I need and this pack fits. I want to leave first thing in the morning, no hold ups,"

Alby smirked and looked back at the fire.

"You're not scared?" He was serious.

Minho didn't reply right away, he looked down at the ground and kicked a stray rock closer to the blaze. Alby looked back at him; Minho was watching the flames.

"I'd be crazy not to be scared,"

Alby nodded and Minho met his look.

"But I'm more scared of being stuck here. This place, this maze, whatever it is. This can't be it,"

Alby nodded in agreement.

"You're right," He smiled at the boy "Good luck out there,"

Minho smiled and nodded.

"Thank you,"

Alby nodded and took a small swig of his drink, coughing as the liquid stung it's way down his throat. Minho chuckled and Alby set it down, shaking his head.

The sound of Winston hitting the dirt raised their attention, as did the cheer that rose up for Gally. The undisputed champion threw his hands over his head and soaked in the praise, clearly over his previous feelings. Winston stood up, shakily, and shook hands with Gally, who in return pounded him on the back and called him a good sport for trying his metal.

"Not a Greenie anymore Winston! You're a real shank now,"

The boys cheered for Winston and he ducked his head.

Presently, Jeff, who had been checking up on the girl, came running up to the fire. Alby sat up as he came closer.

"She's up, she says she remembers her name. She wants to talk to you Alby," Jeff panted out his words.

Alby climbed off the rock, beckoning for Newt and Gally to follow him. Jeff looked a little concerned as the two approached, more specifically as Gally strode forward.

"I'm not sure she will want to see you... again,"

"So what, she giving orders now?" The blonde raised his eyebrows at the Med Jack, crossing his arms over his chest. Jeff swallowed nervously and shrugged his shoulders. Alby spoke for him.

"Gally won't speak unless he's spoken to, right?" Alby directed his question to Gally; the blonde rolled his eyes but nodded his reply. Alby nodded to Jeff, who shrugged his shoulders again and led the three back to the hut.

* * *

The hut was nothing to gawk at. It was warm and well lit inside with little chance any kind of wind blowing it over. It was cozy enough to hold two people if needed and the makeshift beds were furnished with dark brown blankets, straw stuff mats standing on several wooden boxes. They were not as comfortable as a hammock, but the sick could not complain.

Jeff had offered the girl the bed behind a closed curtain, striving to maintain her privacy as much as possible. He pulled back the tattered grey cloth for Alby, Newt and Gally, staying close by if he was needed. The room was fairly small and Gally had to duck until he stood closer to the centre. They gathered together around the sick bed. The girl sat on the bed, the blankets were strewn around her, with her legs tucked underneath her. She remained quiet with her eyes on the floor as they stood before her. Alby spoke up, keeping his voice soft.

"Jeff says you remember your name?"

The girl nodded, keeping her eyes on the ground.

"Eve, my name is Eve," she finally looked up, meeting Alby's eyes. "That's all I can remember," Her lower lip quivered and she looked away again, unable to maintain the connection.

Alby chewed on the top of his thumb for a moment and stole a quick glance at Newt. The skinny boy shrugged and shook his head. Alby looked back at Eve.

"Nothing else?'

Eve's eyes widened and she looked up again.

"You said that was all I would be able to remember..." her voice trailed off and she looked nervous. "Is there more? Did I not remember all I should?"

Alby shook his head and approached the bed, sitting down carefully a comfortable distance from her, not wanting to cause alarm.

"No, no. That's all anyone remembers. I just thought it might be different for you. You may have noticed, but you're the only girl we've seen come up in the Box,"

Eve was still confused.

"The Box?"

Alby gestured over his head and outside.

"The Box you came up in. It does that every month, with one boy and supplies for the next month. You're the first girl,"

Eve nodded her head slowly, digesting the information

"Why?" Her voice, although not as timid as before, was still gentle, soft; so different than anything Alby and the others had heard since… well forever. It was a pleasant change.

Alby shook his head.

"I don't know, I was hoping you would remember something else that would help answer that question,"

His tone was not accusing, but Eve ducked her head.

"I'm sorry,"

Alby flashed her a comforting smile.

"Nothing to be sorry about, you're just like any of us. You don't have answers and neither do we. No blame on anyone. We just can't figure out why they would send you up,"

Eve's eyes sparked with interest, she seemed to be losing her fear and it was being replaced with curiosity.

"Who are 'they',?

Newt spoke up now.

"We don't know that either. Someone is sending us all up here. Someone built this place and someone put us here for a reason,"

Eve took another moment to respond.

"I wonder why I'm here then,"

Alby smiled, a slight laugh on his lips as he spoke.

"Maybe for a change,"

Eve smiled softly but did not reply. After a moment of silence, Gally ended his streak of silence.

"So what can you do?"

Alby rubbed the bridge of his nose, wishing Gally could hold his tongue once and awhile.

"What Gally means is that everyone here has a job. Jeff, you saw, is our Med Jack. Fry Pan, you'll meet him later, is our cook. Newt here grows the vegetables and other plants and the others work on the buildings like the one we're in now. And tomorrow we're going to have our first runner go and check out what's beyond that door. Everyone has a job. We'll have to see what you're the best at. Everyone has to pull their own weight around here,"

Eve looked back and forth between Gally and Alby.

"That makes sense. I'll do my best,"

Alby smiled.

"We can figure out what you'll be best suited for tomorrow. For now, we'll have to find you somewhere to sleep. I'm willing to let you sleep in here, sleeping next to a bunch boys may be less than desirable, you'll want the privacy,"

Eve's eyes widened and she trembled visibly.

"You mean... sleep in here alone? No, please," She grabbed Alby's arm, the first contact she had initiated since she arrived, her voice pitched in earnest. "Don't leave me alone,"

Just as she spoke, a scream rippled through the air. It was one of them, it's squealing, metallic cry echoed off the stone walls around them. Eve startled and backed up from the boys, fear crowding her eyes as the sounds faded into nothingness. She looked back at Alby, her eyes pleading.

"Please, don't leave me alone,"

"The doors are closed for the night, you'll be fine,"

Newt slapped Gally across the forearm and he put up his hands in exasperated defeat. Eve stared at Alby, desperate.

"Please! Don't leave me in here,"

Alby smiled at her, understanding how she felt. He turned to Newt and Gally, warning the latter with his eyes.

"Set up another hammock, put it between yours and we'll talk about it in the morning," He turned back to Eve. "You'll be safe, I promise. You'll sleep between Newt and Gally for the night and we'll sort it all out tomorrow,"

Eve swung her legs off the bed, standing up shakily, her eyes still wide and wary. Gally rolled his eyes and left the room. Newt beckoned Eve to follow him.

"C'mon love, the only thing keeping you up tonight will be Gally's snoring, it's awful!"

Eve smiled a small smile and passed under Newt's arm as he held up the curtain for her. Alby caught his arm before he followed her.

"Try to keep Gally from yelling at her again,"

Newt nodded, chuckling lightly.

"I'll do my bloody best,"

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy this story**


	4. Chapter 4

Another installment. Enjoy!

* * *

Gally lay face up on his hammock, looking up through a hole in the tent covering out to the sky. The tent covering spanned the space of three hammocks, his own, Newt and the new Greenie. As he stared blankly up at the stars sparkling above him, he had nothing better to do but think.

Some new Greenie; a girl? Why a girl?

Alby had no idea and seemed to be acting as if nothing had changed. But it had! A girl after seven boys? Was this some sort of new pattern? If so, what was the point? No matter what Alby said, girls were still not as useful as boys were. They couldn't lift anything heavy and they weren't too great with knives. What would she be able to do for them in the Glade?

Gally tilted his head to the left and looked over to where the girl lay now. After they had left the Med Jack hut, he had slung up her hammock just as instructed. She had crawled into it without another word to either of them. Newt had warned him not to say anything else to her; Gally had huffed out his reply, he had nothing else to say to her anyway.

He could just see her head poking out from under the blanket Newt had given her. It was a cold night and she was tiny enough to need all the coverage she could if she was to stay warm. One hand was visible, gripping the side of the hammock, her knuckles white. Gally scowled and looked away, turning on to his side to get to sleep.

As he closed his eyes, he pictured her once again in the Box, her hair a mess and fear in her eyes. She had looked just like any other boy had when they first came up out of the Box. The screaming had set; she was a girl, not that it wasn't obvious. Picking her up had been nothing, she hardly weighted more than the crate of chickens. She would have to bulk up if she expected to make it around here. Her tiny waist and thin shoulders would not help them if they expected to build up a society here.

That was what Alby was going for, right?

A place that vaguely resembled a home. Alby meant to ease the blow of the bizarre new existence and constant confusion with an order, routine and discipline. So where did the girl fit in?

The idea Alby had teased him about earlier suddenly crawled its way back into his mind and he felt his face burning up; he tossed off his blanket and lay flat, his chest bare to the wind.

The one thing that a girl could do, that a body could not; that was to bear children. That was what Alby had meant when he differentiated the genders and he expected Newt, Minho and himself to watch out for her. The boys could get lonely and the idea of a girl…

Gally sat up, swinging his legs over the right side of the hammock to touch the solid ground, he needed to breathe. He rubbed his hands over his face and looked out to the Door. It was shut, of course, closed off for the night. Hopefully, Minho could shed more light on that tomorrow; Alby had finally decided to let him go. The groan of the walls shifting almost seemed like the background noise to him now, he had been here five months now and he wasn't exactly overjoyed about being accustomed to the strangeness of it. The idea that this place was a maze, a puzzle they were meant to solve, raised so many unanswered questions, Gally could not help but kick the ground angrily. Was it all a sick joke or was there some deeper meaning here?

"Gally?"

The voice startled Gally out of his thinking and he whipped around, suddenly aware of his bare chest. Eve had poked her head out of the blanket and was staring at him, her wide eyes unblinking

and strangely bright in the darkness.

"Did you hear something?" He was surprised her whispered words reached him. He recovered from the surprise and turned away, rolling his eyes at the fear in her voice.

"No," He meant to add, mind your own business, but he decided that less was more.

Silence.

"Oh,"

Gally rolled his eyes and turned back around, throwing his legs back under his blanket, ignoring her gaze.

"You afraid of the dark or something? There's isn't anything to hear," He stopped as he looked at her, about to say more. She looked so tiny wrapped up in the blanket. Something about her face reminded him of all the feelings he had experienced on his first night in the Glade. He had been just as scared as she had been. Everyone took it differently; that's what Alby had said. Gally covered his body once more, his right hand under his head. He looked up at the sky once more, refusing to turn to her.

"Go back to sleep," he tried to keep his voice as soft as possible, but it was tense through grit teeth. He did not get a reply and after a few minutes, he snuck a look over her way. She had once again burrowed under the blanket and he could only see the top of her head. He scowled and turned around, falling asleep soon after.

* * *

The morning dawned grey over the mist soaked Glade. Not many of the boys were awake yet; the sun had barely peaked the wall. Gally, Newt and Alby were gathered by the open Doors with Minho; the black haired boy was strapping on his harness backpack, checking over each clip once more. The tiny contraption contained water, some food, a scrap of paper and a stick of charcoal. Alby made it clear that he was only going in to look around.

"Map anything you can and be careful that you don't get stuck. Mark your way so you don't get lost and be back here an hour before those Doors close, understand?"

Minho nodded. He was excited at the chance to finally explore the walls beyond the Glade, but he knew the risk at hand and he was wise enough not to take chances.

Newt stepped forward and handed Minho his knife. The blade was a bit rusty and the handle was starting to mould, but it was one of the first that had come up.

"That's for… just in case," Newt shrugged and took a step back. Minho nodded and stowed the blade at his side.

Gally chipped in all he could.

"If you find one of those… things. Don't bring it back here,"

Minho nodded once more. He understood and was ready to take off. He waited for the last word from Alby. The first in command nodded, his arms folded across his chest.

"Godspeed Minho, get back safe,"

Minho smiled and turned to face the open Door. The mystery of the path ahead was only enhanced with a distant cry deep in the walls. Minho looked back once more to nod a short goodbye before jogging past the doorway and beyond. Alby and the rest stood by the Door until Minho slowed to turn right at the end of the passageway. Then he was gone.

And they could only hope he would make it back.

Alby shook his head and turned away.

"Winston should have gone with him,"

The two of them going in together had been the original plan. But Winston had sustained a deep cut on his face from his scuffle with Gally last night and Alby decided he did not want to risk the smell of blood beyond the Glade. It seemed like overkill, but Alby was covering all his fronts.

"Don't worry Alby, Winston will join him tomorrow. Minho is smart, he knows what he's doing. He won't try anything stupid," Newt, ever the voice of reason, took a few steps away from the Door, making back to the middle of the Glade

Alby nodded his head and followed his lead. The rest of the boys were beginning to wake up, ready to start yet another day in the Glade. Gally strode ahead, catching the attention of Winston and the two headed toward the woods. Now that Winston was free, they were going to continue work on the roof; there was no time to waste. Newt broke off to the right, in the direction of the garden; he was working on another section for more tomatoes, new wood stalks would need to be cut down to size. The job would most likely take him the rest of the day and into the next.

Jeff was just coming out of the Med Jack hut and Alby steered in his direction, catching his eye as Jeff looked around the Glade. The two met in the middle.

"You checked Eve last night?" Alby had not yet had a report from the Med Jack and was eager to hear it now.

Jeff nodded, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand, the other on his hip as he looked in the direction of the hammocks. The girl could just be seen, laying in her hammock.

"She's fine. Nothing broken, everything seems to be in order. I mean, she's even got a resting heartbeat now,"

Alby smiled, but waited for the Med Jack to continue; there was more. Jeff sighed and let his hand drop.

"She won't eat. I mean, she's not refusing, but she's already tried to eat breakfast once. She couldn't keep it down," Jeff lowered his voice as if someone was listening.

Alby raised an eyebrow, looking over to Eve; the girl looked so peaceful, but he trusted the Med Jack.

"She hasn't eaten anything since?"

Jeff waved vaguely in her direction.

"I told her to try to get something down, but I don't think she's having any luck with it. I mean, it's nothing to worry about, she's in shock. Her body needs time to adjust. I'm just a little worried,"

Alby was getting frustrated with Jeff.

"Why?"

Jeff ducked his head and gestured again to Eve.

"Well, I mean, look at her. She's as thin as a twig. If she doesn't eat more soon, she's gonna end up getting sick. You know how cold it can get at night. If she doesn't bulk up soon… Well, she won't be able to work if she's sick. She'll be dead weight… ," Jeff's voice trailed off and he looked back at Alby; he was chewing on his thumb, taking in the Med Jack's words.

"Have her eat as much as she can today and we'll get her blood pumping as soon as we can. After some work, she'll get hungry. I won't force anything on her, but you're right. She needs to build some muscle if she's going survive. Thanks, Jeff," He tapped the Med Jack's shoulder before turning in the direction of the gardens. When the girl was ready, he would take her to Gally.

* * *

It did not take long for Eve to eat a small portion of her breakfast and relax enough to let it settle. That was all she was able to take for the moment and Alby took it as a good enough. He was able to explain to her as much as he could about the Glade, the boys, the Box that came up every month and the walls surrounding them. He did not use the word 'maze' as he was still not quite certain of the definition yet. So much of the outside was still unknown even to him, but he assured her that they were figuring it out and Minho would be back tonight with more information.

"So, you don't plan on staying here?"

Alby shook his head; he and Eve sat atop the rocks by the dead fire from the night before. She sat a few feet from him.

"No, we believe there is a way out, somewhere beyond all these walls. But we can't say for sure where it is,"

Eve nodded, looking down at her feet.

"So you aren't settling here for good?"

Alby looked at her sideways. She shrugged her shoulders.

"It looks like you're settling," she sounded concern as if she had more on her mind. Alby explained further.

"We're doing what we need to make it as comfortable as possible while we're here. We need shelter, food and order. Without those, we would not have made it this far. It's a temporary situation,"

Eve nodded and looked at her feet again.

"So you don't think I'm here to... help you settle?" Her voice had dropped so low that Alby hardly heard her. He sniffed and looked up at the sky; he could understand her worry.

"I don't think so. I think this whole place, the walls out there, it's some kind of puzzle. We're meant to solve this problem, then we get to leave. I can't prove it, but why else would we be sent here? If they planned for us to settle, they would have sent up more than one girl. You don't have anything to worry about,"

Eve nodded but did not look comforted.

"Well, it's like Gally said. What can I do?"

Alby shook his head.

"Gally is headstrong and speaks before he thinks. Hell, he does before he speaks," Alby chuckled for a moment before he continued. "He's as confused as anyone as to why you're here. But he doesn't think that. What kind of place is this to raise a civilization? It's far to small for any more than thirty people,"

Eve relaxed, her shoulders sinking visibly. Alby could tell she had harboured Gally's accusations to her heart and was only just now beginning to believe that she had been thinking the worst. Alby smiled at her.

"Don't worry, it's one of the first rules of the Glade. Never hurt another Glader. No one will harm you here,"

Eve nodded and remained silent. Alby let the silence pass for a few more minutes before changing the subject.

"Now, we have to figure out where you will best fit. I talked to Jeff this morning and he told me you're as healthy as can be," he left out the part about her trouble eating. "Fry Pan could probably use some help with food and meals, but I had a hunch this morning. You're pretty light, but you've got long arms. What would you say to try some climbing?"

Eve perked up, the idea of being useful seemed to cheer her.

"I can certainly try it. What am I climbing for?'

Alby shrugged.

"There isn't much in the way of food in the trees, maybe some fruit in the far back trees, but we find it too sour. But some of the best building branches are further up the tree and Gally is too heavy to climb the trees. You could work with him and Winston and pick the branches for them,"

Nervousness filled Eve's eyes.

"What if I'm too heavy?"

Alby shrugged.

"I don't think you are. Gally is twice you're weight. Don't worry, if you do fall, Gally or Winston can catch you,"

Eve did not seem to warm anymore to the idea, but she nodded her head determinately. Alby smiled back and stood up.

"I'll hand you over to Gally for the afternoon and I'll check up on you at the dinner meal, alright? Don't worry, you'll be in good hands,"

* * *

"She's going to be doing what?" Gally, already frustrated at being a few days behind his initial schedule, rolled his eyes. Now he was going to have to babysit the new Greenie? What was Alby thinking?

The girl stood behind Alby, the four of them in the midst of the forest. The moisture of the trees and dead leaves underfoot attracted all kinds of bugs and gnats; they pulsated through the air like a life force and the frustration alone of the place was enough without adding a useless girl to the mix.

Alby gave Gally a look that discouraged argument.

"You know you're too heavy to get to the top branches and you and I both know those are the best for the roof. Eve is light enough to get up there without it being a hassle and I'm sure she can learn how to cut them down to size if you can be patient and teach her. I taught you and now you can pass it on,"

Gally scowled, but Alby merely crossed his arms.

"This isn't up for discussion Gally, you need help and she needs a place. If it doesn't work out, she'll work with Fry Pan. Deal?"

Gally nodded sullenly, not looking up at the girl as Alby nodded to Winston and left the three of them alone. Eve stood still, awaiting instructions; she looked like a skittish deer.

Gally rolled his eyes. Just as he thought, she had no idea what to do. He pulled his knife off the side of his waist and tossed it towards her. Eve scurried back and let the knife hit the ground before her, her eyes widening in surprise.

Gally raised an eyebrow at her, his hands on his hips.

"Really?"

Eve frowned and bent to pick up the knife, grasping it firmly in her palm Gally grunted under his breath and pointed to the closest tree, one that he had been planning on climbing himself before Alby had arrived. Winston watched on in silence as Eve eyed the tree warily.

"We don't have all day!" Normally he would have used the name Greenie, but he felt as if she did not quite deserve the title. Eve flinched and quickly approached the tree. She looked up into the branches before turning back to look at Gally.

"How am I going to climb with the knife in my hand?"

Without wasting words on her, Gally took off his knife belt and tossed it to her. Surprisingly, Eve was ready this time and she caught it, ducking her head to avoid the lash. Gally remained quiet, his arms over his chest, as she tied the belt around her own waist; it nearly three times her own girth. After she had fastened the knife into its slot, Eve took one more moment to size up the tree, determining the fasted route up. She finally grabbed hold of the lowest branch of the tree and hoisted herself up. After a moments struggle to steady herself, she reached up and grabbed hold of the next one; soon enough she was hardly visible among the foliage.

Winston crossed his arms over his chest.

"Wow," was all he said. She was faster than he had expected.

Gally did not comment as he moved to stand underneath the trunk, watching as Eve made her way up the tree. After a few more branches, she stood among the thin, spindly branches needed for the roof. She looked down at Gally.

"Which one do you want?" Her voice was raised enough for him to hear in the distance, but she did not shout. It was different than the boys, obviously. Gally found that it was soft and almost song like. But he didn't have time to think about that. He examined all the branches that he could see and finally pointed to a cluster just above her head.

"Those ones,"

Eve followed his finger and nodded her head. She crouched for a moment, holding onto the branch as she took out the knife. Standing once more, slowly and carefully, Eve reached above her head, clasping her fingers onto the closest one. She began sawing at the branch, steadily so as not to jerk too much.

Gally watched from below; frustrated that she could not move faster and angry because he knew he could not fault her for it. After a few minutes, Eve called out to them.

"Watch out," Gally backed up and Winston stepped up to stand beside him.

"She's pretty good actually,"

Gally growled under his breath.

"She's alright,"

The branch fell through the foliage and landed with a soft thud in front of them. Winston stooped to pick it up and move it away. Gally stepped forward and looked up; Eve was already working on the next branch. At least she caught on fast.

* * *

It was around midday by the time Eve had climbed her ninth tree. A thick pile of sticks lay between Gally and Winston, the latter of which was already starting to chip the sticks down to size. Gally held a stick in hand as he directed Eve above them, he was without a knife and could not do much more; but they had enough to finish a decent portion of the roof. Eve had been surprisingly helpful and Gally was now left with the frustrating task of having to accept that she was not as useless as he had perceived her to be, despite his foreboding to work with her in the first place.

"We have enough now, you can come down," He was not even comfortable using her name quite yet.

Eve heard him and finished off the last branch she had been working on before tossed it down. Gally knew he had to give her some kind of encouragement, but he was not in the mind to let Winston listen in. He instructed the brown-headed boy in a rushed, slightly demanding tone.

"Take the sticks back out and starting tying off the finished ones with the twine. Take as much as you can and I'll handle the rest,"

Winston looked at him quizzically for a moment before obeying. He picked up a large bundle of the sticks and started picking his way, partially blinded, back to the Glade.

Gally turned back to catch a glimpse of Eve's descending figure as she hopped from branch to branch. After so many trees, she had become accustomed to the climbing and now could move quite quickly. Alby had been right about it being a good fit for her. Gally slowly walked up to the bottom of the tree and waited for her, as he had done at each tree. He was not waiting for her to fall, as he might have been, but merely there in case. She had slipped a few times, but he blamed that on the damp state of the forest.

"I'll tell Alby you're a good fit for the job," Gally looked down at the ground; it was all he could think to say. The girl did not reply and he looked back up at her.

Eve was on the last branch and stood looking down at Gally, who stood directly in her pathway. Gally was about to take a step back to let her job down, when, without reason, he stepped closer and reached out his arms to her. Eve stared at him for a moment, he hadn't helped her out of any of the other trees. Gally felt his face begin to grow red and resorted to his only backup.

"Come on, we don't have all day!" His sharp tone hid the fact that his face was flushed.

Startled into obeying, Eve knelt down and took hold of Gally's outstretched arms. She jumped and Gally caught her easily, swinging her around to drop her unceremoniously beside him. Ruffled, Eve took a step back and turned away

"Grab some sticks and let's go," Gally brushed past her without another word, reaching to pick up half the pile Winston had left. Eve, her cheeks red, ducked down and did as she was told, collecting the remaining sticks from their pile. Following Gally through the woods, she began to squint as the sun came back into her eyes. Gally did not check back on her as she moved faster to walk beside him; he turned away from her abruptly as they approached the dugout site. Winston sat on a small log, three sticks laid across his lap as he tied them together with some rough, brown twine. He looked up as Gally threw down his pile next to his own. Gally, without turning to her, stuck out his hand. She was not quite sure what he meant until he jabbed the air again with his hand.

"I'll take my knife back,"

Eve jumped and started undoing the belt around her waist until she unstrung it and handed the leather band over to Gally. The blonde gestured away from him.

"Find a log and bring it over her. You can take Winston's job and tie them; he'll show you how it's done," Winston smiled at her as Eve looked from one to the other. He was slightly confused as to why Gally did not want to show her himself but decided not to ask. He gestured to the log not far from him.

"Take a seat,"

Eve, grateful for a friendly face, sat down next to Winston. She listened and watched intently as he explained how to twist the twine over the sticks and had her try. Her nimble fingers were perfect for the job and she soon had a bundle going. They worked for a few more hours this way, Winston cutting down the sticks, Eve tying them together and Gally fitting them on the roof. Soon enough the light was beginning to fade and it was getting closer and closer to the time when the Door would shut.

Minho was due to arrive any minute now and anxiety rode high among the Glader's. Gally and Winston soon called it a day and Eve joined them as they gathered together with the other boys, in front of the Door. Alby was at the front, waiting and watching. The silence was heavy, despite the groaning of the walls before them. Alby was thumbing his hand against the side of his leg, clearly agitated. It was nearly past an hour before the Door would close and Minho had not appeared. The boys stood together, looking at each other but not speaking. There was nothing to say and Alby would only quiet them anyway. He was listening for footsteps.

After another ten minutes of nothing, Alby was about ready to walk in himself, even though he knew it would be foolhardy. He had almost convinced himself when they all heard the telltale sound of feet hitting the stone floor before them. Not long after, Minho appeared, dirty and sweating. He flew through the Door and bowled right through the boys in his attempt to slow his pace. He stopped a few yards away from them and turned around. His next words were breathless but brought life back to the Glade.

"It's a Maze!"

* * *

Thank you for reading, I really appreciate the support


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, I hope you're all enjoying the story so far, let me know in the reviews. Thank you for reading!

* * *

Dinner that night was flavoured with hope as the boys listened carefully to Minho list off all he had seen. He had explored the entire permit of the Glade, sticking to the innermost passageways. The corridors had led this way and that, stretching further into more and more passageways. As far as Minho could tell, it was a maze or at least something to look like a maze. He had sketched out all that he had been able to remember.

With the idea that an escape was now inevitable, the boys had a real reason to celebrate and their bonfire burned higher than any before. Alby was relieved that Minho had made it back safely; there was still much to be discussed with the dark-haired runner. But, for now, he knew the hope Minho had given the boys called for an announcement. He stood up on the rock he had been lounging on and held up a jar, full of Gally's amber moonshine. The boys quieted and looked at him, their eyes shining. Alby smiled and held the jar above his head.

"To Minho, our first Maze Runner!"

The boys cheered, raising their own jars with Alby's. Thye drank to his toast, only for some to spit it right back out. Laughter pranced among them and they forgot their worries. Alby stepped down to the ground and beckoned Minho, Newt and Gally to him. The boys left the small crowd and followed Alby to the gathering place; Alby smiled at the sight of the working roof, he turned to Gally as they gathered for a meeting.

"How was Eve at climbing?"

Gally shrugged, not meeting Alby's eyes.

"You were right about her being light enough to get the branches. We made good progress today,"

Alby nodded before he turned back to Minho.

"So, you're the first Runner,"

Minho nodded excitedly, handing Alby his rough sketch of the days' sightings.

"I have to map this Maze. Alby… those noises at night, the walls moving. The Maze changes,"

Alby looked up from the drawing, not completely surprised, but not entirely satisfied either. Newt and Gally looked on, waiting for Minho to explain; the black haired runner continued.

"The walls change, move and open up new passages, closing other ones. It's changing all the time. That's why I have to map it. Maybe there's some kind of pattern to it all, something that is part of the puzzle,"

Alby looked back at Minho's notes. The Glade was etched in as a thick black square and several spindly lines represented passageways around it, he counted about seventeen in all and that was only the inner edges of the Maze. Its overall size was still unknown.

"You want to map it all?"

Minho nodded, suddenly grim.

"The Maze is three times, if not four times the size of the Glade Alby, mapping it is not going to be an easy task. And adding in the fact that it changes every day, it'll be months before I can run its entire length. That will be the hard part, but if I can get out every day, every other day at least, I can try to figure it out. If this is a puzzle, I know we can solve it! It will just take time… ,"

Alby nodded and handed the sketch to Newt, Gally looking over his shoulder to observe it. Alby turned back to Minho.

"How long do you estimate?"

Minho frowned, thinking for a few moments before he gave an answer.

"Years,"

Alby, again, was not surprised. He knew Minho spoke the truth, but the disappointed in his heart was unmistakable. Years… no one could say how many. More boys or girls… One every month, they would be as large as a small town by the time Minho finished mapping it. What then? Would they actually solve the puzzle?

Minho cleared his throat and Alby looked up at him.

"I heard... those things. Up close, they're out there,"

Alby, Gally and Newt leaned in to listen. Minho held up his hands, stowing their eagerness.

"I didn't see it. It was in the passage ahead of me. I didn't dare let it see me, I was too far from the Door to hope to outrun it. But Alby… that thing isn't… I mean it shouldn't… I don't think it's alive,"

Alby cocked his eyebrow and waited for Minho to continue. The boy was flustered as he tried to explain what he could not see.

"It was snuffling, sniffing around for something. I don't know what kind of senses it has, but that's what it sounded like. But… it's not a creature.. not like we know. I heard... I guess it sounded like gears, churning on each other, running together to make it move. I think it's a machine of some kind. Alive… but not really alive,"

Alby was quiet, Newt and Gally digested Minho's report in silence. Minho tucked his arms behind his back.

"I was.. too afraid to look around the corner and see it,"

The runner hung his head, shamefaced, but Alby grabbed him by the shoulders.

"None of us could have done better. You did want I told you to do. It would not solve anything if you were to see it and be killed,"

Minho nodded grimly, raising his head to meet his leader's gaze. Alby patted him on the back and took a step back, chewing on his nail as he thought over all Minho had said.

Newt, his arms crossed over his skinny chest, watched Alby for a moment.

"Alby? What are we going to do?"

Alby shook his head.

"Nothing. There isn't anything we can do yet. The Doors are open all day and we haven't seen anything pass them yet. If these creatures are out there, they either don't know about the Door or they can't come through it. We keep cautious and Minho," His eyes were dark with seriousness. "Don't ever lead one of those things back here,"

Minho nodded vigorously and bowed his head. Alby acknowledged his bow and looked down. After a moment, he clapped his hands together softly.

"Minho, you will go out tomorrow with Winston. Map anymore that you can. Draw it, carve it, build it. Whatever you have to do, but remember all you can. Study the changes and if there is a pattern, you must remember it. A pattern of any kind has to mean something in a puzzle this size. I'm entrusting this project to you. Each month, more boys will come up,"

"Or girls," Gally spoke up, disdain tainting his speech.

Alby nodded but did not acknowledge him.

"Or girls. Either way, there will be more. I know there will. They'll be tested, we'll hold more races. The fastest will join you to be Runners. I will not have anyone of you going out there alone. There must always be a pair, if not more. Winston will be your partner, for now. Take care of him,"

Minho nodded, but Gally looked incredulous.

"You're taking my only builder Alby! How am I supposed to build this roof," he pointed above him. "In any reasonable time, by myself?"

Alby held up his hands to calm him.

"There will be more boys. Those who can not run will be added to your team. They will help with the building, the garden and anything else that needs to be done. We are scarce now, but if this mapping will take, as long as you think Minho, we will be here for... some time," He couldn't bring himself to say years. "We will have more bodies soon, more runners and more builders. You will have work with Eve for now,"

Gally snorted, his eyes mocking.

"The girl?! She can't build. She was tying the branches today. I would be doing the building myself!"

"So teach her! You cannot blame her for lack of knowledge. Newt had to learn to cook before Fry Pan arrived. Everyone had to learn and adapt. No one is born into a role,"

Gally rolled his eyes.

"Well, who's knife will she use? Winston will be taking his own into the Maze,"

Alby breathed out, as if the answer was obvious, which it was.

"We get knives in the supplies, we only have to pick one that's suitable for her,"

Gally shook his head in disagreement.

"Girls weren't meant to use knives or build roofs,"

Alby held Gally's gaze.

"No one was meant to live like this, in this place with a Maze around them. We adapt and so will Eve. And so will you,"

Gally didn't reply, but he nodded solemnly and Alby relaxed. He nodded to the other boys and the meeting was adjourned.

"Minho, brief Winston on how he can prepare tomorrow and make sure he bandages up those wounds; I'm not taking any chances, no matter what Jeff said. Newt, find a knife Eve can use and Gally, you will show her how you want the branches cut tomorrow, no more excuses,"

Newt and Minho nodded, climbing up the makeshift dirt stairway out the of the dugout. Gally shook his head once more and followed along with Alby close behind. All four of them returned to the bonfire; the flames had diminished significantly, but the boys were still celebrating with laughter and lively conversation.

Alby watched as Minho approached Winston and the two held a quiet, hurried discussion. Winston, although he looked nervous, nodded obediently and left with Minho to prepare their gear for the next day. Newt ducked into the small storage hut. Eve could not be seen and no doubt Jeff had her in the Med Jack hut. She had not eaten dinner and it was obvious that Jeff was still worried about her. Alby decided he would take Gally to check on her; the blonde was going to have to get used to her eventually.

"Gally," The blonde turned at his voice and Alby signalled for him to follow. Gally hesitated for a moment, but then strode forward to keep pace with Alby. A questionable look came across his face when Alby led him to the Med Jack hut, but his leader merely beckoned him forward. The two ducked into the small hut, feeling immediately the warmth of the enclosed space. Jeff stood deeper in the room with his back to them and turned quickly at the sound of their entry. He approached them quickly, worriedly.

"I'm glad you're here Alby. Eve isn't here, I gave her some of Fry's porridge and she took it back to her hammock. She must be there now. I don't know if she ate it though," Jeff had his hands on his hips as he spoke, looking this way and that. Gally listened with arms folded across his chest, clearly not impressed.

"She's gonna have to eat eventually, she'll starve if she stays that skinny,"

"Already aware of that Gally," Jeff rolled his eyes at the blonde before he turned back to Alby. "The shock is wearing off, she already seems more alert. I hope she'll eat more tomorrow. But someone has to get her to at least try to eat now. I think she's worried it won't stay down. The worry is only going to increase the problem. Can you talk to her Alby?"

Alby nodded slowly, taking in the Med Jack's flurried speech. After a moment, he turned to Gally. The blonde giant looked back at him for a moment, finally, he raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Alby smiled, chuckling as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You want to learn patience?"

Gally was not easily fooled. He backed up, his gaze firm.

"Oh no, I'm not getting her to eat. I'd sooner force it down her shucking throat than explain why it'll benefit her! She trusts you, you do it!"

Alby shook his head, amused, and continued.

"But she'll need to trust all of us this is going to work. Besides, she's going to be working with you, so she'll have to learn to trust you, it's critical Gally,"

Gally shook his head and backed away, shaking his hands in front of him at the both of them.

"I'm not gonna be the one to force feed the Greenie, she'll eat when she feels like it,"

Alby smiled and Jeff hid a smile behind his hand.

"Go check on her and see if she's finished. All you have to do is check, no force feeding needed,"

Gally rolled his eyes and stood for a moment, undecided. But he knew Alby's 'humorous, but serious' tone of voice better than most and with one last scowl, he ducked out of the hut.

Alby chuckled quietly as Jeff covered his mouth for fear of laughing out loud.

"You really think he's going to help get her to eat?" Jeff spoke around his hand, his eyes smiling. He could not help but feel a little worried, he didn't need Gally to scare her any more than she already was. Alby shook his head, calming the Med Jack with his simple and firm logic.

"We'll see soon enough,"

* * *

Gally stomped, although non-to-hurriedly, back behind the hut to where the hammocks hung. Winston was already there, packing a bag for the next day. He and Minho would be ducking down for the night soon enough; an early morning was before them and they needed all their strength. Winston waved to Gally as he approached but the blonde barely acknowledged him as he strode past on his way to his own hammock, his hands balled into fists and his posture forward. He couldn't see Eve but figured she still must be there. Frustration boiled in his stomach and he could not help picking up his pace as he circled around the hammock and stood, shaking, right before Eve's hammock.

"If you don't eat that food, you're gonna starve yourself to death! You think-," He stopped short in the middle of his spew as his vision cleared. Eve, laying in her hammock, stared at him with wide eyes. An empty bowl sat on her lap and a spoon was resting on her lips, licked clean. Gally dropped the accusing finger he had been pointing at her and closed his mouth. Eve did not respond to him and the silence soon became awkward.

"I was just finishing," Her voice was quiet and she moved slowly to sit up and stand before him. She leaning backward as Gally bristled a mere inch from her. He stepped away from her and she relaxed, avoiding his eyes.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Gally's voice was tense and he left out any form of apology. Eve looked up, the empty bowl cradled in her hands.

"I was just about to return this to Fry Pan,"

Gally abruptly stepped aside and gestured with his hand for her to leave, his eyes averting her own.

"Well, go on then," His voice was not as harsh as it had been, but he had not calmed enough to sound civil. Eve took the hint and brushed passed him. Gally dropped his shoulders as soon as she had disappeared and sat down heavily into his own hammock, rubbing his face with his hands.

Patience? What a waste on a stupid girl.

* * *

The next morning came, slightly brighter than the one before, in colour and in feeling. A sense of hope was flitting around the Glade and Alby could not help but smile as he stood in front of the Door, his arms over his chest as he watched Minho and Winston suit up for the day.

The newly appointed Runner and old Greenie, standing next to Minho as he awaited orders, did not look as excited as his comrade. But Alby knew that Minho would take care of him and Winston had a way of using a blade. Fry Pan, for all his worth, had a weak stomach and usually called on Winston to kill the animals for eating. After another few months, with a few more runners, Alby knew that Winston would be able to pull his weight much better in the Glade. But for now, they needed a map and Winston was their only option at the moment.

Minho double checked over his gear before he was finally satisfied. Winston gave him the thumbs up and the pair were ready to leave. Alby reminded them once more to be careful and watched, unmoved, as they turned and started jogging into the Maze. They disappeared to the left. Minho was taking a different route from yesterday and Alby could only pray they wouldn't meet with any danger. Alby turned around after a few moments and looked over the Glade. The boys were all awake now and work was going on as usual. Gally could not be seen and Alby figured he and Eve were in the woods, collecting more branches; Newt must have found a knife for the girl. As if thinking could conjure the soul, Newt appeared out of the small storage shelter and after catching his gaze, headed Alby's way at a gentle jog.

Newt greeted him with a cheerful good morning and Alby returned it, the feeling of happiness was contagious and it felt good.

"Fry had a hell of a great knife for Eve to use. I think Gally took her out to the woods," Newt gave his report with an amused smile.

Alby raised an eyebrow at his second in command, Newt chuckled and gestured to the foliage clustered corner of the Glade.

"As far as I could tell, Gally is just doing his bloody job,"

"You know how Gally gets,"

Newt nodded his head, his hands on his hips.

"I can't blame him much… I mean, Eve is doing her work and I'm not complaining. But… why a girl? After seven boys, why a girl? Do you think it's going to be a new pattern?"

Alby glanced at his boot before replying.

"I'm not sure. Eve questioned her reason for being here as well, it seems to concern her. She wondered if it was for procreation,"

Newt's eyebrows shot up and he waited for an explanation.

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth. We can't be totally sure what the people behind this meant by it. Maybe she's right, but I doubt it. A place like this? A puzzle meant to solve, why would we be expected to colonize? And with only one girl? It doesn't make sense, no more than any of this does. But we can never be sure,"

Newt nodded and remained silent for a moment.

"Did she… well did she like the idea?"

Alby smirked at Newt and he laughed, rubbing his neck.

"She was worried that was what we were all thinking and seemed to relax once I told her it wasn't up for consideration,"

Newt shook his head and laughed, rolling his neck to look back at the woods, dropping his hand into his pockets.

"Poor Gally, I hope she doesn't ask him about it,"

Alby chuckled and shook his head.

"I can only imagine his face if she does,"

Newt laughed and the two walked back to the garden, Newt was eager to show him the work they had on the new tomato vines. The growth was as encouraging as anything and the hope of the morning continued.

* * *

"Greenie, can you not see the branch I'm pointing at?"

Gally stood under a tall, thick tree, looking up through the branches to where Eve was barely visible among the leaves. She was nearly at the top and stood precariously on a medium sized branch; one that would surely snap if Gally put any of his weight on it. She was hesitating, being so far up made her skittish and it was wearing on Gally's nerves. Eve looked down at him once more to see where he was pointing; following his finger once again, Eve touched the branch that Gally had in mind.

"This one?" Her voice was far away and he could just hear it. If she didn't raise her voice… Gally nodded and shouted up to her.

"That's it. Cut it down and we'll have enough for the morning,"

"Shouldn't we load up for the whole day?" Eve raised her voice slightly, but it was still far from a shout. Gally rolled his eyes.

"You're going to be too sore to do anything if you don't take a break now. Cut the branch and get back down here,"

Eve didn't reply, but he could see her sawing away at the branch with her new knife. It was one of the newer ones, it had come up with Winston, but the runner had chosen the bigger of the blades. The smaller one was the perfect size for Eve and she seemed to be handling it better than Gally's the day before. Their pile was decent, but Gally planned on coming back just after mid-afternoon, granted they finished tying off these ones. Looking up once more, he saw Eve finishing off.

"Watch out," she never failed to warn him when the branch fell and Gally kept quiet about the fact that he had eyes in his head. He took a step back and let the stick hit the ground before picking it up and throwing it onto the pile, the sticks clacked together with echoing, wooden thud. With his arms crossed over his chest, Gally waited as Eve made her way down. When she had come back into clear focus, he noticed her arms shaking from exhaustion. If she had just eaten more breakfast, they wouldn't have an issue. Gally turned back to the pile of sticks, speaking over his shoulder.

"We'll carry these back and you can pick up some more porridge from Fry Pan before we start tying,"

Eve, who was standing on the last branch from the ground, paused to look up at him.

"I already ate, wouldn't I be eating someone else's ration?"

Gally shook his head his head, Eve could not see him rolling his eyes with his back to her.

"You only ate half of what we would call a 'proper ration' for any normal shank. So you can have the other half before we tie off this pile. If you don't quit shaking, you'll fall out of the next tree,"

Eve didn't reply, Gally's observation causing her to duck into a crouch on the branch. She jumped down on the ground as quickly as she could, hitting the earth a little too hard; the sting caused her to pause. Gally turned around as she picked her self up and he watched as she walked past him, picking up half of the pile without being asked again. He didn't say anything as bent to gather the rest of the sticks in his arms; he noticed that she had taken the majority of them. He then walked behind her out of the forest, treading lightly so as not to trip her up; he soon became frustrated at her slow pace and sped up.

"You're bleeding,"

Eve stopped and looked back at him, her eyes wide. Gally continued to walk past her, taking the lead once more.

"Where?" She sounded worried. Gally rolled his eyes.

"It's just a scratch, it'll scab in a minute or two,"

Eve watched him walk ahead and after a moment continued to follow him. She didn't speak again until they reached the dugout, where they dropped the sticks. Gally started giving instructions as soon as the sticks touched the ground.

"Go eat whatever Fry Pan has for you and I'll grab the twine from Newt. We'll tie this down and put it up by midday if we can," Gally squinted up at the sun, it was just rising over the Maze. If they were quick, they could do it. "We'll do it all again and finish off what we can before the evening meal,"

Eve nodded obediently and turned in the direction of the kitchen hut, Gally turned in the opposite direction and soon met Newt in the gardens; Alby was there too, gathering up some cucumbers from the green, leafy plants.

"I'll need some more twine, Newt," Gally tried to ignore Alby, but the Glade leader raised his head at the sound of his voice.

"How are you working with Eve?" His firm authority was hard to escape. Gally kicked the ground absently.

"Fine, she didn't eat enough this morning and she's already tired. I sent her to Fry to eat the other half of her breakfast. She'll need to eat more if she's gonna bulk up,"

Alby nodded in agreement but spoke gently in return.

"Give her time, the shock is still wearing off her. She's smaller than us as it is and her body isn't as strong,"

"You got that right," Gally muttered.

Alby gave him a look and continued.

"She'll just take a little longer to adapt than we did,"

Gally didn't respond, looking around for Newt. The skinny, sandy-haired boy was just reappearing around a wall of tomatoes, a bundle of thick twine over his shoulder. Newt handed it to Gally, smiling as he did.

"Seems like you two are getting along bloody well,"

Gally waved him off and Newt ducked out of the way before he got swatted.

"Watch your vegetables shank,"

Newt didn't reply but smiled all the while as he joined Alby.

Gally hoisted the twine over his shoulder and walked back to the dugout. Eve had already returned and now sat on one of the stumps, a small bowl beside her in the grass. She held a stick over her lap and was shaving down one of the ends with her knife.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gally dropped the twine by his own stump and stood over Eve, hands on his hips. The girl looked up at him, staring for a moment; then she held up her stick. He swiped it from her hand and looked it over. Eve swallowed.

"I was just doing what you and Winston did yesterday. I was watching and I thought I had the hang of it. Is it wrong?" Gally looked up at her for a moment. Her eyes were so wide and she looked so eager to please. The stick was stripped of the thick pieces of bark and Eve had even peeled off the smaller twigs. The ends were thinned out and sanded to allow for easier tying. It looked just as if Winston had done it.

Gally handed it back to her and sat down.

"It's good enough," He picked up a stick and began the same.

Eve looked disappointed for a moment. But she set down the stick and reached for another one, her face downcast.

Although he acted indifferently, Gally was surprised. He had been expecting the long, arduous task of teaching Eve the technique for sizing the sticks correctly, but now it looked like he wouldn't need to. She knew how to tie them and there was nothing else to learn.

They worked in silence and by the time midday rolled around, they were just finishing tying off the last bit of sticks. Gally made quick work of attaching the new pile to the working roof and by early afternoon, they were back in the woods to repeat the same process again. Words were not exchanged outside of the Gally pointing out the branches and Eve warning him before they fell. The mood was grim and at the end of the day, Gally was glad to get away from her.

Twilight was closing in when Minho and Winston came back the Glade. An hour later, the Door rumbled to a close and another day came to an end.

But Minho's report was about to dampen the hope that had been growing, ever so steadily, among the Glader's.

* * *

Hope you enjoy this chapter, it was a little longer than I thought, so editing took longer, but I'll probably have the next one up by tonight or tomorrow. Cheers!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello all, here is another chapter. I'm sorry it's a little choppy, there was a lot I wanted to fit in.

* * *

"What exactly did you see?" Alby bent forward, one leg on a rock and the other planted on the ground. He was leaning over Minho, who sat before him, his head in his hands. The light of day was long gone and everyone, save Gally, Newt, Alby and Minho were still awake. Winston had been shaken from the day's sightings but had steadied soon after returning.

Minho looked up, still deciding how to explain.

"I was right. It… they, whatever they are, they aren't alive. Not in the immediate sense. It's a mechanical creature. It looked like something you'd see underwater; it's shapeless and slimy, completely hairless except some thick black hair on, well it's head, I guess. It looks like a slug. I didn't see its eyes, but it must be able to see, it was looking... looking for something,"

"Did it see you?" Ably was quivering.

Minho shook his head.

"No, no it didn't see me. I made Winston stay behind the corner, I only looked when I knew it wasn't looking our way. I think it can smell because I thought it was going to follow us back to the Glade,"

"You didn't lead it here, did you?" Gally, frustratingly silent, was vibrating, unable to stay still. Minho once again shook his head.

"No, we went the opposite way until we lost it and that's when we booked it back. It didn't see us, I know it didn't," Minho looked back up at his audience. "It's got long, metal legs. I could see them, I counted eight. Like a spider... I could see the gears turning as it moved; it's a huge machine and yet... it's alive. It's got a tail, something like a scorpion... it's got a pincher,"

Alby took a step back to straighten himself, bringing his hand up to rest his chin on his fingers. Newt, his arms crossed, was shaking his head, trying to picture the beast from Minho's description. The black-haired Runner spoke again.

"It can climb the walls,"

Alby blinked and Gally fumed.

"Are you sure?" Alby's voice was barely audible. Minho nodded and used his hands to illustrate.

"It was using the vines to haul itself up the wall when I saw it. It must be able to see the Glade if it can get to the top. They would have a clear view of it from up there!" Minho, who had been calm, for Winston's sake, soon began to shake. The impact had finally caught up to him and Alby rested his hands on his shoulders to comfort him.

"How far into the Maze were you?"

Minho shook his head.

"I don't know, a little further from last time. We were at least a quarter mile from the Glade. But I don't know, I wasn't really counting on the way back,"

"So it could have seen you? If it climbed the walls while you were coming back?" Gally was strangely calm, keeping his voice low. Minho shook his head again.

"I don't think so, but I guess… maybe,"

"Yes or now Minho!"

"Gally!" Alby's voice was sharp and Gally went silent. Alby turned back to Minho and looked him in the eye.

"Listen. I still don't believe those creatures can come out here. Or they don't need to. They know we'll come out there first. It's been eight months since I got here and they haven't come in yet. Let's not worry our selves for nothing yet. We just have to prepare,"

Gally tilted his head and Newt also looked curious.

"How are we going to do that?"

Alby turned to face Gally.

"We have to build some sort of defensive place. A tower, something high off the ground where we can protect ourselves. From wood and stone,"

Gally looked incredulous.

"You think we can just build something like that up overnight? We aren't even done the roof over our heads!" he pointed above, as if to punctuate his words. "How are supposed to build something like a tower before these things might attack?"

"I'm not asking you to build it tomorrow. But we can work on it, Gally. More boys will come up each month, some will be runners and some will be builders. We'll get more help soon and from there we'll just work on it as best we can. It's a precaution, not a sure thing. We just have to have something,"

Gally didn't respond, closing his mouth and turning away.

"What do we tell the others?" Newt's gentle question caused Alby to pause. He knew he could not keep the rest of the Glader's in the dark forever, but he did not want to cause a panic. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I tell them the truth, but by no means are any of you to tell them that they are coming here. We don't know that and I don't want half-baked assumptions scaring anyone. We don't know much more than we did before. I'll tell them tomorrow. Are going to run the Maze tomorrow, Minho?"

Minho nodded, his initial excitement had damped, but he was in no way abandoning his project of mapping the Maze. Alby nodded to him and called the meeting.

* * *

"How long do you estimate the roof will take you?" Newt, following Gally back to their hammocks, whispering the question so as not to wake anyone up.

Gally shrugged, ducking under the covering into the small, protected space. Eve was already there, her head poking out from under her blanket, fast asleep.

"We're almost finished a third of it. Another few weeks I'd say. Building a tower is something totally different though,"

Newt sat down in his hammock, across from Eve, pulling off his boots as he prepared for the night. He shrugged nonchalantly as he pulled off his shirt.

"Like Alby said, it's a start. He doesn't expect you and Eve to build it by yourselves,"

Gally scowled as he pulled his own boots and shirt off, looking out into the Glade.

"I'll just be happy when we get some more help,"

Newt didn't reply as he climbed into his hammock. Gally followed suit and the two remained silent. Gally fell asleep quickly, the work the day had tired him out. Newt remained silent for a time, looking out at the Glade, watching the wind move through the tall grass behind them. A cry rose up from the Maze and he glanced up. The sound reverberated off the walls for a few moments and the Maze groaned a few times. Then there was silence. Newt looked away and closed his eyes, turning onto his side as he settled in for the night.

* * *

The next month passed quickly. Minho and Winston ran as much of the Maze they could each day and reported back to Alby what they had seen. The dark-haired Runner decided to start a model of the Maze, working with Gally to build a small hut out in the woods. It did not take long as Alby wanted it done as quickly as possible, even work on the roof was postponed until it was finished.

All access was barred accept Minho, Alby, Gally and Newt.

Eve, although she only worked with Gally half of the time, became a climber for him. She spent less and less of her time on the building aspect. Instead, she divided her time working with Newt in the garden and with Fry Pan in the kitchen. She steadily became more comfortable with boys and they, in turn, began to see her use. It did not seem like such a big deal that she was a girl now. She did the little jobs that her small frame and tiny stature were built for and the boys did the heavy lifting. It was the perfect pairing and even Gally began to loosen up, allowing her to pick out the branches for him to use. Her eating had developed as well and she could tuck away just about as much as the boys these days, although she was always willing to share with someone hungrier.

The only thing that set her apart from the boys was her disgust at how dirty she became after a day of work. She hated the feeling of going to bed with the sweat and grime of the day sticking to her, so she had taken to using the last bit of the day to wash in the pond. Soap was always sent up in the supplies from WCKD, but the boys used it only on occasion. Eve began to use it religiously, each night, and the boys sometimes had to laugh at her when she came back to the hammocks smelling like fresh lavender or a crushed rose. She dealt with them graciously.

"At least I don't smell like a pig,"

That usually got the boys to shut up. Day by day, they become more and more like family to her. The night of her last day as a Greenie held a certain aspect of curiosity as questions were soon to be answered. Was the Box going to come up with another boy or another girl?

"Two days," Gally kicked off his right boot. Newt raised an eyebrow and Gally continued. "Two more days and I'm sure I'll finish that roof. This new Greenie had better be some hell of a builder. If Alby expects a tower, I'm not doing it alone,"

Newt laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever comes up in that Box will have to do something spectacular to compete with Eve. You've done more than Gally ever did his first month here," Newt ducked his head, narrowly avoiding Gally other boot; Newt tossed it back and Gally scowled at him. Eve didn't respond to the jab, wary of Gally's wrath.

"Another helping hand for a tower would be useful," Eve was reasonable and tended not to start arguments.

"We'll find out tomorrow," Gally took off his shirt and Newt followed along. Eve closed her eyes and ducked under her blanket. Gally and Newt did the same, the prospect of the next day still hanging like a vapour around them.

* * *

The next morning dawned with a brilliant sunrise, the heat of the day beginning quicker than usual.

Alby and Newt sat not far from the Box, their morning meal already digested. The rest of the boys were finishing up as they prepared for the events of the day. Minho and Winston decided to wait until the newcomer arrived to explore the Maze today. The new Greenie could have the makings of a Runner. Eve and Gally had woken up early to gather sticks before the newcomer arrived and were just carrying their pickings back to the roof site. Newt looked out ahead, his eyes on the Box.

"So… what are you thinking?"

Alby, who sat beside him, didn't reply right away.

"I can't say. There's no way to be certain one way or the other,"

Newt nodded and folded his arms across his chest.

"I think it'll be another girl. I mean, if they're gonna send up girls now, you'd think they'd bring more than one. It seems a little strange,"

Alby looked at Newt out of the corner of his eye.

"Strange?"

Newt shrugged and squinted up at the clear blue sky. The sun had not quite reached its full peak, but it was close approaching midday.

"Yeah, strange. We keep coming back to it, but it's the one thing girls can do that boys can't. What were they thinking when they sent her here?"

"I hope that wasn't their intention," Alby shook his head. "This, this puzzle that we're supposed to solve is cruelty enough. Throwing a girl into the mix and expecting us to multiple just seems… mean,"

Newt sniffed and looked at his feet.

"We don't know what kind of people they are. Who's to say they aren't that mean?"

Alby couldn't answer him, but he knew where he stood.

"I haven't completely disregarded the idea, but it won't be my first option. If there is another girl, then maybe you're right. But if this is another boy… I'll be just as lost as before,"

Newt nodded and remained silent for a time.

"What happens if it does become an option?"

Alby chewed his lip for a moment.

"It'll be Eve's decision in the end. Never harm a Glader, remember?" Alby looked over to the skinny boy and he nodded, shrugging casually.

"I just wondered,"

"Well don't tell Eve what you're wondering,"

Newt smiled.

"I don't want to lose an eye,"

Alby chuckled. Living with the boys, Eve had grown accustomed to her line being stepped over and she knew how to retaliate. As they continued to wait, Jeff, Winston and Fry Pan wandered over to them. They knew the Box was due any time now and decided work was going to be put aside for the time being anyway. After a while, the rest gathered around, even Eve stood not far off from Newt and Alby, her arms across her chest, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Not going to be a Greenie for much longer, huh Eve?"

She nodded, her eyes serious.

"No, I guess not. I wouldn't wish this kind fate on anyone though,"

Alby and Newt turned back to the Box, Eve could be too serious sometimes, she was not easy to lighten up.

Minho was the last to join them, he had been in the woods, working on his model. Alby caught the black haired boy's eye and he nodded to Alby. He had finished another stretch of the Maze and was working on a system to determine if there was a rhythm or reason to the Maze changing. He had had nothing to say yet, but Alby knew he would be the first to hear if he did.

Suddenly, the all too familiar sound of the Box coming up caught their attention. The boys jumped up and approached the hole before them, gazing down as the large, metal prison made its way up to the Glade. Alby and Newt made their way in as well, standing on the fringe of the crowd. Gally stood on the other side and Eve stood with Fry Pan and Winston between them. The Box's ascent slowed to a stop before them and everyone held their breath as the doors creaked open, the sunlight spilling onto a familiar sight.

Several small crates with the letters, WCKD, printed in bold, black letters. A few cages with a chicken, a pig and a smallish looking goat. And right the middle of at all, a large looking figure, covering its face from the blinding sun as it looked up, scared, into the faces of the Glader's.

It was a boy.

Questions were answered, but more questions were just beginning. Gally jumped into the Box, shaking the small compartment. The boy, hardly reacted as Gally grabbed hold of his arms and dragged him up to stand.

"What- what is this place? Who are you?" Gally turned him around and the boy grabbed hold of the edge of the Box. Minho and Jeff helped him up and he stood, looking one way and then the other, walking backwards away from the crowd of boys.

"Where am I?" His eyes were wide, but he seemed to be more confused than scared. Alby stepped forward through the boys and approached the stranger. He had blonde hair and his frame was slim, although not completely skinny. His eyes were dark brown and followed Alby's every move.

"Who are you?"

Alby smiled reassuringly.

"My name is Alby and you're in the Glade. Do you remember anything?"

The boy shook his head, fear starting to set in.

"No... no, I cant... why can't I? Why can't I remember?

Alby raised his hands.

"Your name will come back to you in a day or two, I promise. You won't remember anything else, but it's okay. I'll explain,"

The stranger cocked his head, deciding whether to believe his words or not. Alby beckoned for Jeff to step forward.

"Check him out, the usual," he whispered in the Med Jack's ear.

Jeff nodded and approached the stranger, a smile on his face.

"Hey, there Greenie. Let's get you checked out, see that nothing is out of place, Alby can explain it later,"

The boy looked at him, the fear mixing with curiosity once again.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Jeff," the Med Jack stuck out his hand and the boy shook it apprehensively. Jeff pointed to the hut in the distance and the stranger followed him uncertainly, looking back at the other boys a few times before he disappeared.

Alby relaxed and turned around to face everyone.

"Alright, that's enough. Minho, check this guy out after Jeff's looked him over, see if he's a runner. Winston, if this guy has the job, you'll be working with Gally again on the tower,"

Minho and Winston nodded and started jogging after the two retreating figures. Alby turned back to the others

"Everyone else, back to work. Eve, who were you with yesterday?"

"She was with me, Alby," Fry Pan nodded to his leader. Alby nodded back and beckoned Eve and Gally forward.

"Do all you can to get that roof done today and we'll see about starting on that tower as soon as you can,"

Gally nodded, beckoning Eve to follow him as they heading off to where they had left the sticks from that morning. Newt walked with Alby back to the garden.

"A boy,"

Alby nodded.

"Yes, another boy. So why the girl?"

Newt looked at him for a moment.

"Do you think we need to talk it over?"

Alby shook his head.

"Not right now, we have more important things to get started. Give it another month or two and we'll see if there's anything else,"

Newt nodded and broke off from Alby to get to his garden. Alby went to the Med Jack hut, he would need to explain things to the stranger and hopefully, they would be able to determine if he was a runner or a builder. They needed both, but Alby's mind was on the tower. They needed to be ready, just in case.

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Thank you all for reading and feel free to leave a review


	7. Chapter 7

So this was originally a part of chapter six, but I thought it was too long, so I'm sorry if it seems to jump so quickly into the next section

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"We're gonna run out of trees," Eve, her feet on the ground, reaching up for a branch just above her head, was already getting tired from the climbing. They were determined to finish the roof today; only a few more sections needed to be filled to make it secure. The poles underneath the dugout supported the weight and Gally was pretty content with it.

The blonde was standing next to Eve, counting the sticks they had and calculating how many more they needed.

"No, we aren't. There are hundreds of trees out here,"

Eve jumped up, trying to reach the branch, missing the bark by only an inch. She steadied, frowning and tried again.

"Maybe not for the roof. But what about the tower? We've taken a lot of the branches suitable for building,"

Gally counted they needed about twelve more; he turned back to Eve, struggling to reach the branch.

"We'll start taking the larger ones. We have axes, we'll cut and sand them. It's the same thing," He walked towards her as he spoke and without warning, he bent down and grabbed her by the legs and waist, hefting her up on his shoulder for her to reach the branch. Eve yelped and tried to steady herself as Gally took a step closer to the tree. She reached out and took hold of the first branch, using his shoulder as a step onto the tree. She stood up and took hold of the next branch, breathing heavily as she looked down at Gally. He stared back at her, his hands on his hips.

"What?" He sounded impatient.

Eve blinked and looked up.

"Thank you," Her voice was a whisper and she hiked herself up the next branch, her legs disappearing under the leaves. She had tanned since her arrival, the pale complexion of her skin had blistered to an olive tone now. No amount of soap cleaned that off. Gally shrugged and picked up a stick; he had already cut down a large pile, getting ahead of the work as he waited for Eve to gather the remaining branches. He leaned up against the tree, one leg bent to steady himself against the trunk.

The sun was not as intense under the shade, but the moisture and bugs were not much better. Gally squinted in order to keep the tiny creatures out of his eyes. He looked up briefly to see Eve had found another branch and was working steadily on it. Returning to his stick, Gally decided to try a conversation.

"So, you're no longer a Greenie. How does that feel?"

At first, Eve didn't reply and Gally thought she hadn't heard him. He was about to drop the whole idea when she finally spoke back.

"Not being called 'Greenie' will be nice,"

Gally smirked and continued cutting off the twigs on his stick.

"You've got a name and we use it,"

"You don't,"

Gally looked up through half squinted eyes. She had finished with the first branch.

"Watch out," He stepped away from the trunk, the branch fell and he tossed it into the pile. He returned to his place and grabbed another stick.

"What do you mean?"

Eve, having found another branch just above the one she had tossed, was at it again and took a moment to reply.

"You've never used my name,"

Gally snorted.

"Yes, I have,"

"No, you haven't,"

"I'm sure I have,"

Eve's voice was firm.

"You haven't. You've called me Greenie, 'the girl' and 'hey you',"

Gally stared at the stick he was finishing off. She was right. He had never actually called her by name. Why? Probably because he still hadn't accepted the fact that she was a girl. He remembered the thoughts he had had upon her arrival. Girls were useless when it came down to doing hard work and they only got in the way.

The dug-out roof was almost finished and he didn't have a broken bone to speak off; he'd nearly cracked one in his arm trying to do the same thing Eve had done countless times now.

Eve had done all the little jobs Alby had thrown her way. The sticks, Newt's garden and even working with Fry Pan on the evening meals. She had had her hand in just about everything, except running the Maze.

"Watch out," Gally moved automatically and was back in his place before Eve had time to pick another branch.

"It's just different, I guess,"

Eve looked down at him now, her knife held at her side, the blade pointing down at him.

"Because I'm a girl?"

Gally rolled his eyes. Don't get all defensive, he thought.

"It's not a bad thing, it's just different. It's a change. Change in this place doesn't usually end well,"

"How so?"

Gally looked away, down to the right, chopping and hacking at the stick absentmindedly; he nearly shaved his thumb.

"You'd have to ask Alby, it's not really my story,"

Eve didn't respond. After a moment of looking at the top of Gally's head, she turned back and reached up to take hold of another branch, hacking at the end with her knife. Silence followed for some time after before Eve spoke up again.

"Do you think I'm a mistake?"

Gally looked up, surprised.

"I doubt it, this whole place is too 'planned out' for whoever the people are to make a mistake. I guess it's all part of the puzzle,"

Eve looked down at him, her arms over her head. She was stretching to reach the branch she was working on and her toes were curled as she fought to hold her balance.

"So why am I the only one?"

Eve didn't open up like this often, especially to him. Gally put down his stick and turned to look up at her.

"We don't know,"

Eve turned away for a moment, sawing into her branch. Her foot slipped an inch and she wavered. After a moment, she steadied herself and continued working.

"Be careful," Gally was not in the mood to deal with a broken limb. Eve only continued to hack at the branch.

"You don't think it's for procreation, do you?" Eve question was so abrupt and tense that it did not seem like she wanted to ask, no more hear the answer, but she had said it out loud.

Gally felt his face grow red. He turned away from the tree, suddenly angry that she had to bring that up.

"I don't know! I told you, we don't know, okay?"

Eve glared down at him, her face contorted. She held on tightly to the half sawed branch, her feet dangerously close to slipping again.

"So you do think that's why I'm here!"

Gally whipped around, holding the trunk with both his hands as he looked up at her, glaring.

"I didn't say that! Did you hear me say that? I said we don't know! Even if we did consider that, do you think we would leave you out of that conversation?"

Eve's eyes flared and waved her knife at him.

"You seem to leave me out of an awful lot!"

"We don't tell everyone everything! You think you're the only one left out? Don't be absurd!" For a brief moment, Gally wished she would fall, only to make her shut up. He banished the thought as his face grew even hotter.

Eve turned around on her branch to face him, her body twisted as she maintained her hold on the branch; her balance was compromised, but she was too worked up to notice.

"If you all think that's what I'm here for, you must have told the others! You must have all talked about it in your little meetings!"

"Why would we do that? That's not a decision we get to make!" Gally hit the trunk of the tree with his fist, frustration making him forget her delicate hold. "God, do you think we're that savage?"

"You're a bunch of boys living in the woods, what else do you call yourselves?!"

"Hey! We didn't ask to be put here, no more than you did! Don't act all high and mighty, you're no better than us!"

Eve's nostrils flared and she thrust her knife at him, her mouth open to retaliate. The movement cost her; her branch snapped off in her hands and she stumbled forward, toppling off the tree branch. Gally, who had jumped at the snap, saw her fall all in an instant as if in slow motion, his mouth stuck open. She fell straight, crashing and ripping through the leaves; she smacked her hip off a branch and collided on her shoulder with another. She flipped, breaking off a few of the smaller sticks in her fall. She fell right passed Gally and finally landed on the forest floor with a sickening thud, the leaves rustling to a still around her.

She didn't scream, the wind had been knocked out of her, only rolled onto her side with a wordless cry on her lips, blood pouring from her left shoulder, the knife in her hand grazing against her leg.

Gally only took a second to shake out of his stupor. He rushed to her side and dropped to his knees before her, grabbing the knife from her hand and tossing away. He rolled her onto her back and that was when she screamed. Blood was soaking through her shirt from a gash on her chest. Gally shook his trembling hands as he looked for any other signs of blood.

"Slim it! You may have broken something, stay still!" Gally slapped a hand on her shoulder, staving the bleeding as he determined what his next move would be. Eve screamed, clawing at his hand. Gally brushed her hand away, feeling down her arms for any more damage. Eve began to cry as he proceeded to check her legs.

"Oh please, slim it! You'll get the whole Glade out here thinking something is wrong,"

Eve screamed at him through her tears.

"Something is wrong!"

Gally stopped talking, looking around to his immediate left and right. There was nothing he could use to bandage or split her shoulder; he was going to have to get her back to Jeff as soon as he could. The blood loss was not enough to kill her, but if the wound didn't get cleaned soon, there was going to be an infection. He removed his hand carefully from her wounded shoulder and Eve whimpered as he ripped off some of the clotting blood. Leaves and dirt were already outlining the gash and Gally could see there was dirt in the open flesh.

"Ah c'mon. What were you thinking? I told you to be careful!"

Eve closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks. Gally shifted so as to crouch behind her head. He carefully lifted up a portion of her shirt to see if he could determine the depth of the wound there. Eve smacked his arms, squirming away.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving your life, what do you think I'm doing? Now slim it! I'm not going to tell you again!"

He couldn't see much, but there was definitely a large hole just below her collarbone. Gally shifted around again, realizing that her hysteria was only going to make it worse. He ground his teeth and spoke as gently as he could to her.

"Listen to me, okay? Just listen. I'm going to carry you back to Jeff. Do you hear me? I'm going to take you over my shoulder and run. It's going to hurt, but just stay as still as you can, okay? Don't move and don't squirm,"

Eve nodded through her tears, whimpering at the idea of more pain. He stood up, moving around to pick up her knife and set it beside the pile of sticks, making mental notes of the location so he could return for the supplies. He then returned to Eve; she was shivering, the gash on her shoulder had all but stopped bleeding and dried blood was caked over the wound.

She would need it cleaned quickly.

"Okay, listen to me. I want you to wrap your hands around my neck, alright? I'll pick you up at the waist and then I'm going to sling you around onto my back. Just hold on as tightly as you can," Ehe nodded again and squeezed her eyes shut. Gally sat her up slowly and she reached her arms around his neck, whimpering as the gash on her shoulder reopened and started bleeding again. Gally scowled at the blood and picked her up from the waist, moving her legs around his own. He then twisted her over his shoulder and she came to rest on his back, shivering with tears. Gally hoisted her up a bit higher and, checking that she was going to keep still, began to jog slowly back out of the wood. Eve kept as quiet as she could, but could not help letting out a yelp every time Gally nudged her shoulder. By the time he cleared the woods and stepped into the blinding sun, she had buried her face into his neck and muffled all her sound. Gally rounded the bend and passed the small pond, the dug-out and past the garden. Newt and Alby were working on some new vines for cucumbers. Newt was the first to spot the odd pair and the pair soon left off their work to catch up with him before he reached the Med Jack hut.

"What happened?" Alby reached out to stop Gally, who halted, panting heavily. He jerked his head to back to Eve, who did not look up at the voices, her tears had soaked into his shirt.

"She fell, I don't think anything is broken, but there are some cuts around her shoulder and one on her chest,"

Newt followed Alby and Gally to the hut, watching for any signs of movement from Eve. He tried to lighten the mood as best he could.

"Broke her streak huh? What was it for you Gally, two months before your first fall? It's okay Eve, Jeff will stitch you up and you'll be as good as new,"

Eve did not respond as Gally ducked into the hut, coming face to face with Jeff almost as soon as he was inside. Jeff's eyes widened and he immediately gestured Gally to ease Eve into the nearest bed. Gally sat and Eve let go of his neck, leaning back to let her lay down. Jeff went about his work, checking her arms, legs and her neck for anything broken. He noticed the blood on her chest and gestured to it.

"Can I see the cut under your shirt?"

Eve nodded, her eyes squeezed shut. Jeff tore the shirt open at the top, making a small space for him to use his fingers to investigate the gash. He took in the size and depth and moved on to her shoulder. After a moment, he stood up and wiped his hands on a nearby towel. He turned back to Gally, Newt and Alby.

"She'll be fine. The cuts are deep, but I'll clean them up and bandage them. After few days, they'll have closed up,"

The boys relaxed and took a step back to make room for the Med Jack. Alby pulled Gally aside as Jeff went off in search of clean water and soap.

"What happened?" Alby's eyes were full of questions.

Gally put his hands up and pointed over to where Eve lay.

"The shank wasn't careful enough! She slipped, she depended too much on the branch she was chopping off. I don't know what she was thinking!" After he knew Eve was alright, Gally was angry.

Alby looked him in the eye for a moment.

"Were you close by?"

Gally nodded, not meeting Alby's gaze.

"Yeah, I was right underneath the tree,"

Newt raised an eyebrow.

"You were talking to her?"

Gally nodded again, getting angrier.

"Yeah, we were having a lively conversation!" His voice was sarcastic. "This girl thinks she's better than us!"

Alby and Newt were confused. Jeff interrupted the three as he came back with a bowl of water and a small bar of soap.

"Hey, do you guys mind? Maybe take it outside?"

Alby nodded to Jeff, gesturing Newt and Gally out of the hut. Alby was frustrated, as was Gally. Newt stood between the two, his arms over his chest, ever the mediator.

"Were you two arguing?" Alby was getting down to the bottom of the accident whether Gally cooperated or not. The blonde scoffed and turned away.

"I wouldn't call it that. She started talking crazy. She lost her balance and fell. Can we just let it go? Jeff said she'll be fine!"

Alby shook his head, smacking Gally on his forearm.

"You both need to be more careful, you upset her and she fell!"

"Oh, okay, so now it's my fault," Gally pointed his fingers back at himself, his face shocked and angry.

"It's both of your faults! You should know better than to lose focus when someone is up a tree. Do you remember when you fell?"

Gally crossed his arms over his chest again and looked away. Alby, breathing deeply for his frustration, knew that Gally would not see reason while in this state. There was no point in needling him any further. Taking a deep breath, tapped Newt on the shoulder, relieving him. Gally watched as the second nodded to his leader and walked back in the direction of the garden, shaking his head to himself. Alby rubbed his forehead with his thumb and finger as he looked once more at Gally. He waved a hand at the blonde, taking on a nonchalant, dismissive air.

"Better get those sticks and finish the roof off. I'll talk to Jeff and see if Eve can come back on later. I expect you to be more careful in the future, is that understood?"

Gally nodded, seeming to care less than he did before. With one last look at the hut, Gally shook his head and walked away, beginning to jog as he got closer to the forest. Alby, watching him leave, breathing in and out, his hands on his hips.

A tap on his shoulder made him turn; Minho and Winston stood behind him. Alby shook off his frustration and smiled at the pair.

"Any news on the Greenie?"

"He says his name is Ben," Minho looked excited as he continued to explain. "He's calmed down pretty fast and has agreed to take a race around the Glade. Winston and I will test him out and see if he's fit to be a runner,"

Alby nodded, rubbing his hands together absently. Minho looked over his shoulder to the hut and looked back, an eyebrow up.

"I saw Eve in there just now, Jeff has her strapped down to the bed," his voice was full of question.

Alby sighed, shaking his head, laughing quietly.

"It was her and Gally. They seemed to have been having an argument and she fell out of a tree. Nothing is broken, but the cuts are fairly deep. Jeff is cleaning it out to avoid infection,"

Minho did not look surprised and Winston blew out a breath, his eyes wide. Alby shrugged and shook it off once again.

"Jeff isn't worried. It taught Eve a lesson and Gally's gonna be angry for a few days. Best to let the two of them work it out,"

Minho and Winston stood silent, awaiting further instructions. Alby clapped his hands together and smiled.

"Well, let's see this Greenie run!"

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Alright, the next section may not be up until Monday, Mother's Day and all. Thank you for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Hey, I wanted to thank the guest who left a review, I really appreciate it! And yes, you guessed it, this is going to be a GallyxOC story. The way it gets there is a little strange and the circumstances aren't normal, but I still wanted to explore his character. He is personally one of my favourites of the series and I hope I can do him justice. Thank you once again for the review and happy reading all!

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"Ow! Stop, it hurts!" Eve rolled her body away as much as she could, her left shoulder had been strapped down to the sick bed with ropes. Jeff sat beside her, dapping at her open wound with a damp, soapy cloth. He smirked at her as he picked another scarp of dead leaf out of the gash.

"It will hurt less if you stop moving," He was amused, as there was no fear left. She had not lost much blood and nothing was broken. She was a little shaken and the deep cuts would take time to heal, but they would be fine once any risk of infection was cleared; hence the soap and water. With Eve's permission, he had completely removed her shirt, leaving her in a white undershirt. The cut had bled into the thin fabric, but it would wash out, he would leave that to her.

He finished off cleaning the wound on the shoulder and wiped it dry, adjusting his position to begin the same task on her chest. Eve squirmed and grimaced.

"Can't you just leave me to die?!"

Jeff rolled his eyes.

"Don't be dramatic, you haven't lost enough blood for that. What were you thinking anyway? Using the branch you were cutting off for support?"

Eve squealed, her eyes squeezed shut, as Jeff moved the flesh under her collarbone back to remove some dirt that had made its way into the wound.

"I was talking to Gally, owwww! We were, fighting, ugghhhh!" Jeff cleaned off the gash and sat back, cleaning the cloth in the bloodied. Eve lay back, panting and from the chill.

"Fighting? Up a tree? What, did he complain about your choice of a branch or something?"

Eve opened her eyes slowly and Jeff smiled at her in amusement. The wounds were tender, pink and plumb, the swelling only just beginning to develop. He needed to get them bandaged while they were clean. Reaching back over the bed, Jeff grabbed a roll of tensor bandage. The supplies they received each month were always thorough; prepared for any occasion.

Eve glared at the Med Jack, angry in her pain.

"We were fighting about me. Why the hell I'm here and how everyone keeps talking about the possibility that I'm here to bear children!"

Jeff's eyes widened, looking down at her in surprise. But then he frowned, his eyebrows knitting together.

"I haven't heard anything about that,"

Eve rolled her eyes, sarcastic.

"Yeah, yeah. It's a big secret that you're all keeping from me!"

Jeff didn't respond for a moment and then he laughed, beginning to unroll the bandage.

"Why would keep something like that from you?"

"I don't know, that's what I want to know!"

Jeff leaned forward, the bandage in his hands.

"Look, I know for a fact that, if this was ever part of Alby's plan, he would have asked you before even considering it. He wouldn't spread the idea around and leave you to find out later. How sick do you think we are?"

Eve opened her mouth, another retort on her lips. But then she closed her it, laying back. Jeff took the opportunity to pick up her arm, turning her shoulder over to get the cloth underneath her wound. He began wrapping up the area carefully, making sure to keep it tight, but not too tight to cut off circulation. Eve looked back at him, quiet and thoughtful.

"Well if no one thinks that, then why… why…? Gally said-,"

"What did Gally say about it?" Jeff was curious where she had gotten his crazy idea. Eve closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again, suddenly confused.

"He didn't want to talk about it, he was avoiding my questions. I thought… I thought he wasn't supposed to talk about it with me. I thought it was a secret," Eve brought her fingers to her mouth. "Why would he act like that if it wasn't?"

Jeff laughed out loud at her, finishing off on her shoulder with a cheerful grin on his face. Eve watched him, confusion flitting in her eyes as he shook his head in amusement.

"Am I missing something?"

Jeff nodded and sighed with a chuckle.

"You think something like that is easy to discuss? You think Gally, keep in mind he's the biggest brute here. You think he likes talking about childbearing?"

Eve blushed, her cheeks turning red like a fire had started under her skin. She shrunk back onto the bed as Jeff continued to laugh.

"I can't believe you thought we were planning something like that without you!" Jeff stood up and picked up his kit, pulling out some more bandage for the gash on her chest. Eve was becoming flustered and embarrassed.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?"

Jeff returned and double checked that the wound was completely cleaned before applying the bandage.

"You've known Gally for a month now. He's not the kind of guy who likes to talk about stuff like that. Hell, what guy here actually would? Certainly not me!"

Eve rubbed her face with her free hand, looking completely defeated now.

"Oh…. Gally is going to kill me. I called him a savage,"

Jeff chuckled.

"You're probably dead as it is. What gave you this idea?"

Eve looked away, her cheeks still burning from embarrassment.

"Well… I guess I thought was what I was sent here for,"

Jeff didn't respond right away. He knew what she said was a possibility, but the likeliness of them actually trying it was slim at best. Besides, what was the point? Minho was trying to solve a Maze out there and if the people who sent them here expected them to get out, why would they want them to procreate?

"I don't think you should worry about that. You're just as good as any of the boys that have come up. Look how far you and Gally have come on that roof! And even Newt enjoys the touch you've given the garden. Just because you're a different gender doesn't seem to change much around here,"

"Gally said bad things usually happen when things changes," Eve's voice was small, her eyes sad. Jeff could tell she was struggling and he smiled at her as he finished off the bandage.

"Bad things happen whether a change is a factor or not. Look at you. There was no major change to speak of and yet here you are. Could've been worse,"

Eve nodded slowly, seeming to take Jeff's words seriously. Jeff smiled again and stood up, closing his kit and stepping around the bed to replace it.

"Well, that's all I can do for your wounds right now. Can you move your arm?"

Eve sat up slowly, wincing as she felt her wounds move under the bandage. She lifted her left arm above her head, grimacing slightly, but not entirely impaired. Jeff nodded his approval as she moved through a few more ranges.

"Seems like it'll just take time for the healing to kick in. Maybe you can help Newt out in the garden for the rest of the day and take it easy tonight. Try not to lift anything above your head for awhile. Give it a day or two and we'll see how it goes,"

Eve nodded and Jeff smiled, turning around to rinse out his bowl.

"Wait!"

Jeff turned back.

"Yep?"

"What about my shirt?"

Jeff looked down at the floor. Her red flannel shirt was ripped in half, no longer usable. The Med Jack shrugged, nodding to her undershirt.

"Not comfortable with that? It would be cooler,"

Eve's eyes widened.

"I'm not walking out there like this!"

Jeff flipped his hands up, arms akimbo.

"We don't have much more to offer. They don't seem to send up much in terms of clothes,"

Eve looked distraught.

"Why didn't you just take my shirt off? You didn't have to rip it open!"

Jeff smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with a palm.

"Still wasn't sure I could move your shoulder that much. I didn't want to make anything worse or rip up your shoulder any more than you already did,"

Eve groaned and fell back onto the bed. Jeff couldn't help but smile, folding his arms over his chest.

"Just use what you have for now and I'll see if I can find anything for you later. I know it isn't the same, but nothing shows and no one is going to care. Hell, I wish I could walk around like that in the sun, it. You should be thankful," His voice was teasing.

Eve glared at him and Jeff took it as his cue to leave. He rinsed clean the bowl and returned his supplies. When he came back, Eve was sitting up once more, biting the corner of her lip as she looked toward the door. Jeff gestured outdoors.

"C'mon, Newt will need help. I heard Alby, Minho and Winston are testing out the Greenie for running today. Newt won't care and neither will anyone else,"

Eve sighed heavily and stood up, keeping as much pressure off of her arm as possible. She smiled bleakly at Jeff.

"Thank you for patching me up,"

Jeff smiled and nodded quietly.

"You're welcome,"

Eve smiled again and ducked under the covering of the Med Jack hut. Jeff shook his head as he turned back around.

"This place gets crazier and crazier, I swear,"

* * *

Newt turned from a small bushel of zucchini when he heard the shuffle of feet behind him. Eve stood a few feet away, her arms curled around her chest tightly. He noticed she no longer wore her red flannel shirt, just a thin white tank top. Eve would not meet his eye as she stood looking to her left.

"Jeff finished off with you quick. How are you feeling?"

Eve looked at her feet, shuffling a small pebble around with her tow. Her shoulder and half of her chest were bandaged with the lightweight tensor bandage and there was only a small stain of blood on the white fabric.

"Jeff doesn't want me to lift my arm over my head. I can't climb for until it's closed up, Gally will be working alone… ," Eve looked up at Newt, tears in her eyes. "It's all my fault, we were supposed to finish the roof today, I've ruined the plan," A tear rolled down her cheek and she looked away. Newt smiled at her, standing from his crouched position to approach her.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. It's not as bad as all that, love,"

Eve whimpered as she tried to speak.

"Now Gally is gonna have to get the branches. He won't finish until tomorrow," She wiped at her eyes, turning away from Newt. Eve hated to cry in front of the boys; she thought it made her look weak. Newt smiled again, almost amused. Gently, he took her by the elbows and turned her around, pointing across the Glade to the dugout.

"Look,"

Gally, Winston and Minho were sitting together on stumps. They were chopping away at the sticks Eve and Gally had collected that morning. Winston was tying off the finished branches and they looked about ready to put it all on the roof. Eve looked confused as she looked back at Newt, who was smiling brightly.

"But- but weren't Minho and Winston supposed to go running today?" Eve suddenly covered her mouth with her hand, she only lowered it to ask in an apologetic voice. "Did they.. did they not go because I wasn't there to help Gally?

Newt shook his head, quick to calm her.

"Nah, the new Greenie took a race around the Glade with Minho and Winston and he turned out to be a lot faster than Winston. Alby gave the Runners a day off and Minho and the new one, Ben is his name, will go out tomorrow; Alby doesn't want to throw the Greenie out too quickly,"

Eve took a deep breath, covering her mouth with both hands as she squeezed her eyes shut. She took a steady breath in and shook her head, drying the tears from her eyes.

"I should've just kept my mouth shut,"

Newt smiled at her, looking back at his plants.

"Don't sweat it, Eve. Gally's fallen from the trees before, hell so have I. We were out for a day or two. It happens; besides you can still work. Jeff sent you to me right? You're still doing something. The boys will finish the roof today and Winston can help Gally until you're ready,"

Eve nodded slowly, seeming to accept what Newt was telling her.

"So, the three of us will be working on the tower?" The idea seemed to settle her, but Newt shook his head.

"Winston may help now and again, but Alby decided to make Winston a Slicer,"

Eve frowned, confused.

"A Slicer?"

Newt smiled, wiggling his eyebrows.

"He's gonna slice up our animals. You know, for meals and such,"

Eve's face drained of colour and she dropped her hands.

"Oh,"

Newt laughed and bent down beside the zucchinis once more.

"Don't worry. He'll have cleaned up all the blood before he gets to you and Gally,"

Eve stared at Newt; the skinny sandy blonde merely tended to the vegetables. After a moment, Eve dropped down beside him.

"What can I do?"

The night came slower than usual and as the light finally began to fade, the boys began to gather around the fire pit. Fry Pan had cooked up another great meal and the celebration of their newest Greenie was in full flight. Gally's mysterious amber concoction was passed around and laughter filled the air as Ben was introduced into the group.

He was slightly disoriented with all that was around him, but he had adapted fairly well. After Alby had explained all they knew and he had raced with Minho around the Glade, he was willing to do all he could to run the Maze with the dark-haired Runner. The seriousness of life as they knew it was forgotten for the moment and they celebrated Ben up to the sky.

Eve sat on a rock not far from the fire, but further from the boy's than usual. Not that anyone noticed, Gally walked into the Fight ring and the Glader's had begun to tussle once more with each other. Holding a jar full of the amber moonshine, she watched the fire dance over the stone, keeping her eyes shielded as the celebration continued around her. It was not until she saw a shadow fall across the flickering stone that she looked up. Alby was leaning about the stone beside her, his arms across his chest as he watched Gally and Minho go at it; it almost looked like Minho might take it, but Gally hadn't lost yet. They would know soon enough.

Eve did not look at Alby as she feigned interest in her shoes instead, the Glade leader broke the silence after a minute.

"So, Jeff gave me about you and Gally's argument,"

Eve closed her eyes and sighed, feeling some sort of lecture coming on. Alby chuckled as he watched Minho fall two inches within the ring, still in the game. After he received no response from Eve, he tried again.

"Was that why you fell?"

Eve nodded, sullenly.

"Yes," her voice was quiet, sinking almost below hearing as it often did when she was upset. Alby nodded and waited for her to continue. Eve sighed, he was not going to let up.

"I thought you were keeping it from me,"

"Keeping what from you?"

Eve rolled her eyes. He knew exactly what, but was waiting for her to say it out loud for him.

"If I was brought up here for procreation," she looked at her feet again as she spoke. "I thought you were thinking about it and not telling me,"

Alby nodded again and looked down for a moment, tilting up his gaze only to look out at the scuffling boys.

"And you found out we weren't?"

Eve nodded, taking a small sip of her drink and instantly regretting it. She made a face and set down the jar; she had no idea why she actually drank the liquid.

"I know, it was stupid of me. But the way Gally was avoiding it… I just thought, for a moment, that it was true and then the whole thing blew out of proportion. I never meant to get so upset. There's just something about trying to discuss something with Gally… it's- I mean it's really-,"

"Impossible?"

Eve stared into the fire and nodded.

"I guess so,"

"That's just how Gally is, he's very strong headed. And you're very soft-willed," Alby held up his hands as Eve gave him a look. "You have to admit it, you don't like to cause trouble. I've seen you side with Gally just to avoid an argument," He looked at her, amusement twinkling in his eyes. Eve looked down again; she knew he was right. Alby continued.

"It's just the things we have to learn to deal with living together. Have you ever tried picking a cucumber too early? Newt won't let you forget it too quickly,"

Eve sniffed, smiling softly. Alby looked back out at the boys; Minho had lost and Gally stood in the ring, waiting for his next opposer. The Glader's were trying to convince Ben to try it out and Gally only added to the goading. Soon enough, Ben was in the ring and squaring up as best he could to the blonde giant.

Alby spoke again.

"Have you spoken to Gally since?"

Eve shook her head, suddenly becoming tense.

"No. I have to thank him for carrying me back… I'm not sure he'll want to talk to me though. He sounded pretty upset when we got to the Med Jack hut,"

Alby nodded, chuckling gently.

"He certainly sounded that way, I haven't seen him that angry in awhile,"

Eve cringed and brought her knees up to her chin. The night was only getting colder with every passing moment and she was either going to have to sit closer to the fire or go to bed if she was going to feel any warmer. But the idea of sleeping next to a ticking time bomb didn't suit her.

"Do you think he'll forgive me?"

Alby nodded slowly, watching the new fight progress. Gally overcame the new Glader easily, but only because Ben was not comfortable enough to go all out yet. He would get there.

"He will, but trying to apologize while he's angry won't do much good. Give him time to cool off. He may not verbally forgive you, it's not a strong suit of his, but he'll come around,"

Eve nodded and picked up her jar, the glass felt cold on her fingers and she set it down again. She was too cold to stay away from the fire any longer. Standing up slowly, she nodded to Alby, a thankful smile on her face.

"Thank you,"

Alby nodded and she walked over to the fire, coming to stand behind Fry Pan, who sat near the pot of food he had brought out. He smiled up at her.

"Hungry?"

Eve smiled and shook her head.

"Thank you, it was delicious though,"

Fry Pan nodded and turned back to the fight. Ben was tossed out of the ring and the boys were cheering him on as he rose unsteadily to his feet. He had lost, but he had given it a try and that was all that mattered. Alby joined in closer around them, clapping his hands along with the other boys.

"Let's hear it for our new Greenie!"

The boys cheered him on and Ben ducked his head, still adjusting himself after his fall. Gally clapped along with the Glader's and even slapped him on the back in good nature. The cheering died down and Alby spoke up.

"Douse the fire Fry, tomorrow's another day and there's a lot to be done," Eve stole a look at Gally, but he was not looking her way; his face was unreadable. "Ben, you'll be joining Minho tomorrow, make sure you're geared up,"

Ben nodded and the celebration commenced.

As Winston and Newt helped Fry Pan kill the fire, an echoing cry split the air. The Glader's froze and looked out to the Maze, the Door was closed for the night. Another cry seemed to answer the first one and yet another came after that. Each one seemed louder than the last, their unearthly cries echoing again and again off the stone walls. One last final screech rang around them and the blood of the Glader's froze in their veins.

Then there was silence. In the Maze and in the Glade. The cruel reality came flooding back to the boys and all feelings of happiness drowned in a heartbeat. Fry Pan finished staving the last of the ashes and the Glader'strudged to their hammocks in silence. The groaning of the Maze changing once again shook the earth, the final nail in the coffin in their hopefulness.

* * *

I got the chapter up a little earlier, I had some free time. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers!


	9. Chapter 9

So, maybe I should have mentioned this in the beginning, but my descriptions in this story are from the movies. I have not read the books in a long time and don't remember a lot of the details, so the visuals are all from the movies. Anyway, here is another chapter.

* * *

Eve waited until the Glade had gone quiet before she took her small bar of soap and walked down to the pond. She didn't really feel like getting into the freezing water, but the thought of waking up after sleeping in the dirt of the day was far worse in comparison. She got in and out as quickly as she could, relishing the feeling of the soap washing away the grime. Despite her body temperature dropping significantly, she was glad she had come. Slipping back into her shorts and shirt, Eve groaned softly; she had forgotten a towel, having been too distracted by her thoughts and now, with her skin still damp from the water, she was colder than ever. The thin material of her clothing gave little protection from the cold of the night and her teeth began to chatter. She knew full well that she would feel better the instant she sank into her hammock, but the cold won her over and she sat down on the bank of the small pond. Curling into a tight ball, Eve rubbed her shivering arms and legs briskly, willing the circulation to kick in. Her shoulder was beginning to ache from the cold and the cut over her breast was weeping; the bandage held well though and she was glad Jeff had cleared her for the cleaning.

As she sat alone in the darkness, Eve could not help but let her thoughts run freely; she hated being alone with them, but she didn't have much choice. The questions of the future plagued her and only made her more and more depressed, it was so hard not to lie to herself to forget the reality of it all.

It would all go away, it was all a bad dream. This wasn't real. It would end any minute now. It would not be long now.

Eve pushed her hands into her temple, wishing but for a moment that she could drown herself in the pond. Anything was better than this, right? She curled her legs up to her chest again and dropped her head into her knees, hot tears spilling over her eyes. Ashamed, she wrapped her arms across her head, whimpering as the tears burned their way down her face and splashed into her lap. The pond rippled close by, the soft bubbling of the water a whispering voice trying to comfort her. The moon above shone on down, like a cold flashlight, it's silvery light providing no warmth. Eve shook her head as she abrased herself. She was supposed to be carrying her weight, doing all she could for the Glader's and all she had done that day was cause problems. If she had just kept her mouth shut and thought about it logically, she never would have fallen out of the tree. If only she had some sense in her. Her toes curled into the thick, cold grass as she wept into her arms.

"Hey, are you gonna cry all night?"

Eve hardly had time to lift her head and look for the voice when a blanket was thrown over her head, blocking her view. She sat up quickly, pushing the blanket down around her shoulders, turning to look into the darkness.

Gally stood a few feet from her, his hands on his hips as he looked at her without actually looking at her. Eve wiped her eyes, tears stinging her face.

"Gally?"

The blonde took a few steps closer and stopped.

"Newt was wondering where the hell you were, he thought you'd gone and drowned yourself," He shut his mouth, regathering his thoughts. "You're working with him tomorrow, right?"

Eve nodded, rubbing her cheeks with her free hand, the other held the thick, brown blanket around her shivering frame. Gally nodded and turned to the side, finding anywhere to look but directly at her.

"It's getting late then," He turned as if to leave and Eve scrambled to her feet, tripping over the blanket.

"Gally!"

He turned around with a frustrated look in his eyes. Eve stood still, looking at him as she searched for the words to say.

"Thank you… for bringing me to Jeff so quickly. I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I was so much trouble today,"

Gally nodded impatiently, he was obviously tired of dredging up the conversation.

"I wasn't going to leave you to bleed out in the woods,"

Eve flinched at his blunt words, pushing her damp hair out of her eyes. She had stopped crying and her face felt tight. She wanted to wash it again but was too cold to give it any real consideration.

"I know, but still, thank you. I'm sorry… that I called you a savage. I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't thinking clearly,"

Gally didn't respond right away, only nodding his head a few times, looking at the dirt. Eve was not sure what he was going to say; she hated not being able to communicate with him clearly, but what could she do? After another few minutes of awkward silence, Gally looked back up and gestured her to move.

"It's only going to get colder,"

Eve hadn't expected much else, but she hoped that it meant she was forgiven. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she picked up the excess and fell into line behind him. Although he did not wait for her, Gally also did not walk too quickly, staying only a few feet in front of her as they made their way back to their hammocks.

Newt was sitting on the edge of his hammock, cleaning off a small axe with a piece of cloth; his boots were beside him. He looked up as the two approached, his expression unreadable.

"Enjoy your bath?" His voice was friendly and Eve smiled as she sat down in her hammock, facing him.

"Maybe if it was warmer,"

Newt chuckled and set down his axe, pulling off his shirt as he prepared to bed down. Eve could hear Gally kicking off his boots and doing the same behind her. She leaned in closer to Newt

"I'm sorry I took so long, I didn't mean to worry you. Thank you for sending Gally," Eve kept her voice quiet.

Newt, who was stuffing his shirt into his left boot, looked up at her, his eyes puzzled.

"I didn't ask him to do that. I just got here a few minutes ago,"

Eve sat back with a frown as Newt slipped under his blanket. She turned around to look at Gally; he had already laid down and had his back to her. Eve looked back at Newt, a question on her lips, but he had already settled into his hammock, his back to her. She closed her mouth and sat for a moment. The cold soon persuaded her to move and she ducked under her covers and curled up in the hammock, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. The question would not leave her though.

Who had asked Gally to come for her?

* * *

Minho and Ben left early the next morning and Alby was pleased that Winston and Gally had finished the dugout roof a few hours after midday. Alby stood under the brand new roof with Gally and Newt, discussing their next action, the tower.

"We'll have to build it around a tree, it's not going to stand very well on its own. Is there one you think will work best Gally?"

The blonde nodded and pointed across the clearing, just beyond the hammocks. A taller, dead looking tree stood, slightly crooked, on its own. Thick grass grew around the base and the trunk was thicker than Gally himself.

"That's our best choice. The base is solid and we can pile some rocks around on the ground. We'll have to chop down some of the smaller trees in the wood to make planks for the floors. I'm thinking we should make several layers, it will give us more ground if.. you know, we need to,"

Alby nodded.

"It's just a precaution,"

Gally agreed and continued.

"It's not going to be an easy project though. I mean the dugout took a few months alone, let alone the roof. Until we have more builders, it's going to be slow going,"

Alby nodded again.

"That's the best we can do for now. If we rushed it, the boys may panic. This isn't a preparation for attack and I hope it never comes to that. But if it ever does, we need some higher ground,"

Newt spoke up.

"Minho said those things could climb, didn't he?"

Silence; both Alby and Gally thought over his words.

"The levels will give us an advantage. If they climb for the people at the top, those underneath can fight it without it seeing them. A surprise attack may be our best option," Gally laid out his plan as if he had prepared for some sort of presentation. Alby nodded his head in agreement and Newt did not find fault in his logic.

"I only pray it never comes to an attack,"

"Has Minho seen any more of those creatures?" Newt only asked Alby because Minho had been back and forth too much to get a solid answer from him. Alby shook his head.

"No, but he will, I don't doubt that. It's only a matter of time before they see him too,"

"Do the others know what they look like? Did you give them Minho's description?"

Alby nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I won't lie to them, they know exactly what we know. It isn't much, but there is no way around it,"

Gally spoke up, another thought on his mind.

"What are we going to call them?"

Alby looked at him, his eyebrow cocked.

"How do you mean?"

Gally tossed his arms akimbo.

"We can't keep calling them 'creatures'. They aren't alive according to Minho. Don't you think we should come up with some sort of title?"

Alby looked at Newt, who shrugged with indifference. Alby looked back at Gally, rubbing his chin with his fingers.

"Did you have anything in mind?"

Gally shrugged, brushing his nose casually.

"They've caused a lot of grief already for just being creatures. They were put here as some sort of obstacle in this puzzle. Sooner or later, they're going to play a larger part when we solve it,"

Alby remained quiet, he knew better than anyone that these things could kill. He had never seen anything, but the sounds he'd heard were unforgettable. The grave deep in the woods. The sign, a warning to all the shanks, was proof enough. The story was one that he had only told to Newt, Gally and Minho. The silence that followed was a heavy one and Newt finally broke it, the skinny boy hated wallowing in sadness.

"What kind of name could you give them?"

Gally, his hands on his hips, shrugged once more.

"Grievers,"

A sudden commotion above them caused the three boys to turn. Someone was yelling and the words were indistinguishable. Newt was the first to jump up the make-shift dirt bleachers and come out into the clearing, the others close behind him. The other Glader's were running toward the Door and as they looked ahead, Minho and Ben could be seen, panting, hanging off the wall as if they would fall without the support.

Alby started running, Gally and Newt were quick to follow them. Everyone had gathered by the time they arrived and Alby pushed his way through them to reach Minho.

"What happened?" His voice was strained, desperate to keep his calm as a million different explanations ran through his mind. Minho was still catching his breath and Ben, who stood close by, was breathing raggedly, his eyes bulging out of his head. Alby grabbed Minho by the shoulder, taking on his weight as he held him up. The dark haired boy pushed him off and steadied himself, drawing in enough breath to speak.

"It saw us. We- we ran back,"

Gally bullied his way to the front, angrily approaching the Runners with Newt and the others close behind.

"You let it follow you?!"

Minho shook his head, frustrated, pounding on his heart with two fingers to stabilize the beat.

"No! We lead it around the back of the Maze, anywhere I already knew we could go. We lost it behind a closing wall and we ran back. I don't think it saw us,"

"You don't think?! You mean it could've?"

Minho shook his head again, angry as the Glader's crowded forward, squeezing the air out of him.

"It didn't! It was behind a wall and he couldn't have climbed the walls in time to see us. We didn't look back until we ran through the Door. I didn't know what else to do!"

Alby was controlling his temper, trying to determine what this was going to mean. Those things knew if they didn't already, that the Runner's were coming into the Maze. Silence stood like a spectator as the boys watched for any signs from their leader. Alby, his thumb tapping the side of his face, looked at the ground for a moment before he made his decision. He shook himself and once again, assumed command.

"Winston, Gally, stand guard by the Door until it closes. Newt, stay by the gardens, wait for any signal Gally gives. We batten down all hatches until those Doors close. Everyone else, stay in the dugout, no one is to move,"

The boys broke into action, scattering away from the door as quickly as they could. Gally and Winston drew their knives and took up their positions. Newt and Alby jogged back to the gardens, crouching in the grass with a clear view of the two Glader's at the Door. Alby raised his head above the brittle stalks for a moment to see Jeff pushing the last boy into the dugout; they were no longer visible in the deep shade underground.

And so they waited.

The day was drawing to a close and it would not be long now before the Doors closed for the night. But the minutes dragged by and every noise from the Maze caused a shiver of alarm. Gally and Winston stood as still as sentinels, shifting only to take a quick glance's around the stone wall into the Maze; all seemed to be quiet. The Glader's in the dugout, since they could not see what was happening, could only hope for the best.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the rumbling of the Doors sounded and the stone walls shifted together, closing off the Glader's from the Maze.

Alby and Newt sunk to the ground, their legs cramped from the crouching. Gally checked the Doors once more to make sure they were closed before he and Winston jogged back to where Alby and Newt sat in the grass. Jeff popped his head out from the dugout and, seeing that it was safe, he beckoned the others to follow and they too joined the rest in the gardens. Tension as thick as the stone walls themselves settled over the boys and they looked for directions. Alby picked himself off the ground.

"Minho,"

The black haired Runner stepped forward, Ben trailing behind him. Alby pointed to them both as he spoke.

"No one goes out tomorrow,"

Minho nodded, although his brow furrowed, frustration and relief mixing like a picture on his face. Ben, his eyes wide and scared, nodded as well. Alby took a deep breath and looked around at the Glader's, standing like frightened deer around him.

"Gally has named these creatures. From this day forward, they will be known as Grievers,"

The boys and Eve, who stood next to Fry Pan, did not react, breathing heavily as the adrenaline left their bodies. The creatures had been named, but it did not make them feel any safer.

* * *

This may seem like a little bit of a stretch for how they would react, but I can't help feel like these kinds of first caused them all a little bit of panic, at least until they got used to seeing these things more often and escaping them. Feel free to leave a review and thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright, sorry for the wait, but here is the next section. Thank you all who are reading, I appreciate you guys! This one is a little short, but I hope you enjoy it, happy reading.**

* * *

Three months past, marking Alby's first year in the Glade, trapped in the Maze. Three new boys had come up from the Box, one after the other. After going through the new Greenie routine, Alby assigned them their place.

Hank beat Ben's time around the Glade easily and became a Runner; Minho was happy to have another team player. Clint took a keen interest in herbal remedies and Jeff was more than happy when he took the role of Keeper of the Med Jacks. The newest Greenie, Zart, joined Newt in the garden and became Keeper of the Track Hoes; plowing, growing and tending the vegetables and herbs. The increase of helping hands was enough to relieve Alby for the moment, but the nagging question still remained.

Why was Eve the only girl?

With every passing month, Eve became more and more convinced her arrival had been a mistake as if the people in charge had not meant to send her. The anxiety caused her to lose her appetite and soon she began to lose some of the muscle mass she had developed from the climbing; Clint was forced to feed her another meal before she went to bed to keep up her weight. In her mind, she was afraid that something terrible was going to happen and the fault would be her own. Alby kept her as calm as he could; she had been the seventh Glader to arrive and only the sixteenth member would give them any real answers.

The Maze and it's Glade was nothing if not built on patterns.

With more Runners on his team, Minho; who had been named Keeper of the Runners, mapped more and more of the Maze each day and determined, at least for the moment, that the Grievers did not seem to come near the Glade door. The assumption was not made public and Alby was wary of the Door at all times during the day, but their run-in with the Griever was temporarily forgotten. Minho's hut was becoming his own personal home and the black haired Runner spent the majority of his free time locked up in there. Alby got weekly reports from him and Minho was slowly catching on to the Maze pattern; there was still much to explore though and neither he nor Alby wanted to spread false hope.

Gally, named Keeper of the Builders, worked mainly with Eve; although Winston and Zart helped as often as they could when not busy with their own tasks. More and more structures for their little colony were being added to the list of projects, but Alby demanded that one thing would be worked on at a time.

Winston worked alone, cutting and butchering the meat Fry Pan needed to make the meals and was merely waiting for his own slaughterhouse. For the moment, he worked on a large stump outside and behind Fry Pan's kitchen hut. Alby promised him the title of Keeper of the Slicers as soon as there was another potential Slicer. The job was not overwhelming, but with more and more mouths to feed each month, Winston knew he may appreciate the help one day.

All signs pointed to a healthy and working body of boys and their one girl. They thrived on the food, drink and exercise they were provided with. But there was an overwhelming sense of un-belonging and more than anything, the Glader's desired answers to the gigantic Maze outside their little home. Alby kept the desperation and helplessness at bay the best he could with the monthly newbie celebrations, words of encouragement and healthy doses of discipline to demonstrate that insubordinates would not be tolerated. Every person had a purpose and every purpose drove them forward. One day, they would be free of the Maze and they would take the skills the Glade taught them and live the rest of their lives rebuilding their lost memories.

* * *

It was the night after Zart's Greenie celebration dinner and the day was the same as every other.

Minho, Ben and Hank had left to run the Maze and would be back before nightfall had completely folded over the sky.

Clint and Jeff were discussing herbal remedies with Zart, debating where to plant the seeds that had come up in the Box with the newly minted Track Hoe Keeper.

Newt and Alby were sitting close to the fire pit, making a list of buildings in order of importance.

Winston and Fry Pan were picking out the best animal for the next week of meals; the cook looked quite green in the face but was more than happy to leave the slaughter to the Slicer at his side.

Gally and Eve had worked hard on Alby's new tower. The base had been constructed and had been supported with extra twine, dirt and heavy stones; the foundation was solid and Gally decided it was time to start the next level, which meant more sticks and several trips to the woods for more branches. Although Eve's scar had begun chronic and she had nearly forgotten about it, Gally got on her very last nerve about safety and she often threatened to quit if he didn't stop nagging her.

"If we lose her, we lose the best person for the job. She may be a girl, but she's one hell of a climber," Was what he usually said when asked about it. That ended all discussion on the subject.

"How many more do we need?" Eve called down to where Gally stood under her tree, chipping away at two sticks at once, shaving them down as precisely as he could. He didn't look up at her as he answered.

"About a dozen more, take what you can from this one and you should only need to climb one more for the day," Their pile was large and Gally had counted out what each section would need. After they built the wall, a few trees would need to be cut down and shaved for planks to make up the floors. So far, he hadn't done anything like it, but it was a new challenge and he was determined to take on.

"Thank God, these callouses aren't getting any smaller,"

Gally rolled his eyes.

"Didn't you take the gloves from Newt? He said they were small enough for you,"

"I wore them this morning, but I didn't have enough grip. I'd rather take the callouses to another fall,"

Gally shrugged his shoulders.

"Then you can't complain much," He smiled as a small twig hit his head; he could hear the eye roll in her voice.

"I wasn't complaining,"

Gally brushed the leaves off his shoulder.

"Sounded like it,"

"Maybe you should have Jeff check your ears,"

Gally turned his head to the left, smiling as he checked the pile once more. Eve's wit had sharpened with every month she lived with the boys. The Glader's had to think twice about engaging in a word battle with her, she could stand up for herself now; she was no longer afraid of conflict. Gally often rubbed her the wrong way on purpose, just to see her fight back, knowing full well he could kick her to the dirt if he had to. Eve knew he only did it to rile her up, but it didn't stop her from giving him a piece of her mind. The two had become closer over time; but in the back of her mind, Eve could not shake the feeling the blonde questioned the need for one girl in the Glade. It worried her enough that she avoided him as much as she could after the days work, not wanting to hear his thoughts if he ever got annoyed with her. Their co-existence was fine as long as they were calm.

"Alright, coming down,"

Gally stepped away from the tree just as her branch hit the floor; he picked it up and added it to the growing pile. Eve made her way down swiftly, jumping onto the ground beside Gally as he finished off cutting down his sticks. He nodded to her, looking around the woods. Eve had climbed almost half of the trees in the Glade and they were beginning to look a little bare.

"How about that one?" Eve pointed to the large trunk down a small valley to her left. Gally looked at the tree she was pointing at and nodded; he walked beside her as she approached the monster. The closest branch was just above Gally's head. The blonde stepped up to it and beckoned Eve closer, cupping his hands as a step for her. Eve placed her right foot in between his hands and used his shoulders to steady herself before Gally hefted her above him. She took hold of the tree branch and scrambled up, Gally let go of her foot and she stood up.

"Thanks," Her voice was breathless.

Gally nodded and walked back to the pile to gather a few more sticks while she worked her way up. He checked on her progress when he returned, watching her steady herself in the middle.

"Careful that it's solid,"

"Got it,"

Eve's voice was dry and Gally rolled his eyes.

"Don't blame me if you fall,"

"I'm not going to fall, Gally,"

Gally leaned his back against the trunk, shrugging his shoulders as he started on his task. For all their growth, he still did not make a habit of using her name. He couldn't quite explain it, but it sounded wrong; he never told her though.

"Ah, you shank!"

Gally looked up, hardly taken aback by her language. She had picked up most of their little phrases and sometimes sounded just as dirty as the rest of them.

"I told you to be careful,"

Eve sounded frustrated, exasperated.

"The branch is fine, Gally! I just nicked myself,"

Gally laughed, knowing it would only anger her more.

"Weren't you looking where you were cutting?"

"Slim it, Gally! Can't you size those sticks any faster?"

Gally waved her off, deciding making her angry when she was up the tree wasn't worth it. Her last fall had been one too many as it was, they needed their climber.

"Do you need to get it bandaged?"

"No, it just surprised me. Ugh, I'm gonna get an infection with all this dirt,"

Gally rolled his eyes. Eve still regularly scrubbed herself clean each night and hated when she couldn't wash her hands between jobs.

"If your immune system hasn't adapted to that yet, then I'd be very surprised. You're not going to die,"

Eve finished cutting off her branch, warning him generously before she let it fall. Although she wished it would knock him over the head, just for good measures.

"Don't you ever have anything nice to say?"

"Do you ever stop talking?"

Eve rolled her eyes, making quick work of the next branch, her arms beginning to ache from the morning's work. She dropped the branch down, without a word this time. It glanced off Gally's arm before falling to his right. Gally picked it up and waved it above his head, not looking up.

"Thanks for the warning!"

"You're welcome!"

Thier words were beginning to become heated so they relapsed into silence. After another twenty minutes and Eve had cut off another four branches; Gally was satisfied. She climbed down the tree and was about to jump to the ground when Gally stopped her.

"Whoa, you trying to break your leg again?"

Eve stood up on the last branch, rolling her eyes.

"It wasn't my leg. I just twisted my ankle, it was slippery that day, I just jumped from the other one! Would you move?"

Gally reached out to her, not backing down.

"You could get up there by yourself on that one. If you fall again, Alby is going to have my hide,"

Eve sighed resignedly and took his arms. He caught her as easily as he always did and set her down gently. She brushed the debris of the tree off her shirt and rolled her shoulders.

"Thank you. But Alby doesn't really hold you responsible, does he? I think by now, I should know better,"

Gally shrugged, picking up the branches she had cut to add to the original pile. Eve followed him back, stowing her knife at her side.

"I'm Keeper of the Builders, you're my worker. How else do you think a team works?"

Eve rolled her eyes.

"Well you worry too much and so does Alby. I'm careful,"

Gally dropped the sticks in the bigger pile and divided them between himself and Eve.

"You would worry too if you have his responsibility. He takes care of the whole Glade,"

Eve went quiet, bending down to take her share.

"I guess you're right,"

Gally looked back at her as he adjusted his own load.

"He's looking out for everyone's safety. If one of us is hurt or even gets killed, what do you think is going to happen? He's doing all he can to make sure we don't find out, which includes keeping you from falling out of the trees,"

Eve nodded, looking dejected, serious.

"I never thought of it like that…"

Gally didn't respond, merely jerking his head for her to follow him and they exited the woods, carrying the pile between them back to the tower site. The sun was brighter than it had been that morning and they squinted to see around them.

A commotion at the Door attracted their gaze and Gally shielded his eyes with a hand to see. The Glader's were gathered around, shouting, working themselves up about something. Alby was amidst them, kneeling on the ground, in the middle of what appeared to be a heated discussion with Minho and Ben. There was something moving underneath Alby.

Gally dropped his sticks alongside the others they had, breaking away from Eve toward the gathered boys.

"What are they doing back so early?" His question remained unanswered as he picked up his pace. Eve dropped her own bundled and jogged to catch up to Gally and the two were soon on top of the Glader's. Gally pushed his way through the boys, the screaming had gotten louder and he stopped a few paces short of Alby, his eyes taking in the scene.

Hank, the newest Runner, lay on the ground. His eyes were bulging out of his head, crisscrossed with red blood vessels, glistening in the light as they moved back and forth, rolling into his head. He was breathing heavily as he shouted and cursed in a rasping voice. He was squirming, his body convulsing in powerful currents; Fry Pan and Alby were holding down his arms and Newt was holding onto both his legs. Gally bent down, without question, and grabbed hold of the Runner's other leg.

"What happened to him?" He directed his question to Newt, as Alby was still speaking in rushed, controlled tones to Minho.

Newt looked at him sideways, his face grim.

"Minho said he's been stung,"

Gally's eyes widened and he looked back to Minho and Alby.

"Stung?"

Alby finally noticed that Gally was beside him and rapidly brought him up to date.

"It was a Griever, Hank was attacked,"

Gally looked from Minho to Ben and back to Alby, waiting for an explanation.

"How did it happen?"

Minho, who was visibly perturbed, gestured wildly with his hands as he tried to explain all he could. The Runner was shaken and his words were jumbled, his sentences disjointed.

"We couldn't get to him soon enough! We didn't hear it coming until we heard Hank scream," He gestured to Hank, the Runner was breathing heavily as he fought against his assailants. "He was stung by the time we got to him,"

Gally looked back. Hank's shirt had been removed, ripped off him, laying in tatters at his side. A deep, black hole drew the attention to his heart, black spindly veins ran along the length of his stomach, up his neck and onto his face, arms and legs. They were spreading quickly and blackened blood oozed out of the wound. Hank screamed, thrashing and kicking, his words slurred and indistinguishable. Gally shook his head, turning back to Minho.

"Stung by a Griever? How is that possible?"

Minho shook his hands, his eyes wide and wild.

"I don't know, I didn't see it! Ben and I were behind another passage. I sent Hank passed us to see what was ahead while I stopped to sketch. We heard him scream and the thing was gone by the time we got to him!"

"Damn it Minho, I thought you were a Runner!"

"Gally!" Alby did not sound like his usual self. As the Glader's crowded in around them and Hank struggled against him, the Glade leader had reached his wit's end and was struggling to maintain order. He looked back the Runner. "Minho, did you see anything? Did you see the Griever leave? Did it follow you?"

Minho shook his head, pressing his palms against his temples.

"I didn't see it! I heard it's parts, the gears turning on themselves as it left, but I don't know which way it went! Hank won't answer me, he's not making sense!"

The Glader's behind the four were becoming nervous.

"Did it follow them back?"

"Is it going to come here?"

"Will Hank die?"

Alby was struggling, his hands over Hank's shoulders, trying to meet the Runner's gaze as he screamed into Alby's face. His speech clearing, but it did nothing for them.

"I can see them! They're there! I saw it! Get away from me!" His words were sharp, accusing and he screamed each syllable. Fry Pan, who was holding his arms down, was losing his grip as Hank continued to squirm relentless.

"Come on man!"

Hank did not respond, he merely continued to scream. A slew of black fluid bubbled up to his lips and the Runner chocked, spewing slime onto Alby and Fry as he coughed out the black gunk. The Glader's took a step back, more concern, more fear.

"Is he contagious?"

"Is he going to make it?"

"What are we going to do if he dies?"

Alby whipped his head around, finally; he had had enough.

"Everybody get back! Move, give us some room!" It was time to restore some order, Alby looked back to his main men. "Gally, Winston, you're to stand guard at the Door until it closes. Use the signal if you hear anything, anything! Clint, Jeff, get back to the hut and prepare some straps on the bed, we'll have to tie Hank down. Fry Pan, Newt, help me pick him up!"

His orders were well received, the need to do something, be of use caused the Glader's to jump into action. Gally, Newt, Alby and Fry Pan each picked up a limb and Hank was heaved into the air, kicking against them.

"Let me go, I can see them! They're here, you have to let me go!" He continued to scream as the four half carried, half dragged him back to the Med Jack hut. The Glader's rushed ahead of them, watching out for any sign that Hank may escape. They reached the hut and pushed Hank in through the door. Black blood pooled on the floor as it dripped out of his mouth. He was set on the bed and restrained by Gally and Alby while Jeff and Clint worked around them to tie Hank's arms, legs and waist down to the table. They were just enough to keep him from getting up, but they had to back up as he thrashed his hands and feet around.

"Let me go! You have to let me go!"

"For shuck sake, slim it, Hank!" Gally's shouted words fell on the Runner's deaf ears and he did not let up his screams. Alby had more orders ready to go.

"Gally, you have your instructions, keep an eye on the Door, we don't move until we know those Doors are closed. Newt, get everyone into the dugout. Jeff, Clint, stay here with Hank until they close. I want Minho, Gally and Newt in the dugout an hour after the evening meal. Look sharp!"

* * *

 **Alright, some of you may not know this, but Hank was in the books and he did pass away. It didn't say how, but I assume it was either from a Griever or a wall closing in on him, it said he was a Runner. So I am adding his death; the next chapter may be a little gruesome, so fair warning**


	11. Chapter 11

**Alright, this one is fairly long, I kind of forgot all I put into it. And as I mentioned before, this is a sombre chapter and it may disturb some of you, depending on who you are. Thank you for reading.**

* * *

It was an arduously long afternoon, Gally and Winston remained positioned by the Door and the rest remained underground. The hours went slowly, but eventually, the Doors rumbled shut and they began to breathe again.

Hank had finally stopped screaming; he lay in the Med Jack hut, twitching and squirming like a dying insect. Jeff and Clint watched over him, taking shifts during the dinner meal. After eating, Gally, Newt and Minho met with Alby under the dugout roof for yet another meeting. Minho was the centre of attention as Alby called upon him for the entire story.

"What happened out there Minho?"

Minho, who had recovered from his initial shock was now breathing calmly once again. He sat before Gally, Newt and Alby, his hands clasped before him, looking at the floor.

"I've told you about the sections, Alby. The Maze is fairly condensed in terms of passageways and corridors; they go on like that for a mile at least. But on the outside, the outermost sections are wider, more spread apart. It's the same setup, but more space between each wall. There are eight different sections and as far as I can tell, they only open up one at a time. But it's not from one to eight; it's some sort of pattern, I can't track it yet. I'm still working on the smaller walls,"

Alby nodded, he had heard all of this from Minho during his weekly report. Almost half of the Maze had been run and the model was well under construction. The changes of the walls were under review and Minho was working hard on constructing a pattern. It was taking longer than anticipated, but he was doing his best. Gally and Newt had heard some, but not everything; they leaned forward expectantly, excited to hear more.

Minho continued on.

"We were in the eighth section today, I was hoping to map some of it. I haven't been able to sketch out any of them yet. We were right at the front, we hadn't even gone in yet. I sent Hank ahead, not all the way, but just a passageway ahead. I wanted him to look out for any doors, exits that kind of thing. I hadn't heard a Griever yet and I assumed it was safe. I should've double checked,"

He dropped his head into his hands, his shoulders shaking with unshed tears. Alby leaned forward and grasped his shoulder.

"You did what you could Minho, you are not to blame, but we have to know what happened,"

Minho lifted himself back up, sniffing several times before he steadied enough to continue.

"I had Ben with me, to count how many passages we were from the Glade and I sketched out the new walls I had seen. I didn't hear anything until… Hank started screaming and that's when I heard the Griever… I called Ben back and we rushed around the wall as fast we could, but it wasn't there. It was gone. Hank was leaning up against the wall… I thought he was dead," Minho took a shuttering breath before he spoke again. "When we got closer, we could see he was still breathing. It looked like he had been knocked unconscious. I thought the Griever had just knocked him around, maybe we were getting too close to something. I didn't see… I didn't see the hole,"

Alby kept his hand on Minho's shoulder, a touch of comfort for him as he started to shake again.

"Come on Minho!" his voice was gentle but firm. Minho shook himself and continued on.

"Ben and I decided we had better get him back. We didn't know if the Griever was going to come back and we couldn't just leave Hank there. We carried him back through the Maze and we were almost at the Door when he... he just snapped. He started screaming and we had to drop him; he tried to attack us. We let him chase us back to the Glade and that's where we surrounded him and knocked him down. Then you came out and we pinned him. He had been stabbed or stung, I didn't see it until you pulled off his shirt. I… I couldn't see it,"

Alby patted the Runner on his back and sat back. Minho dropped his head again and sat shaking in silence. Newt and Gally sat back as well, digesting Minho's story. Their worst dream had come true, those creatures were meant to kill, to destroy.

After some time of silence, Newt spoke up, directing his question to Alby.

"Do you think Hank will make it?"

Alby did not look up, his hands out before him as he leaned over his knees.

"I don't know, Clint and Jeff will have to answer that,"

More silence. Gally spoke up, his voice wavering.

"If that shank dies, what does that mean for us?"

Alby shook his head, rubbing his hands over his head. He didn't have any answers.

"I don't know, Gally, I really don't know," His voice was cracking too, the overwhelming sense of helplessness was wearing at him and he could not rise up to face the facts. All they could do was to wait and see.

Minho was still shaking.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. If Hank doesn't make it… I just want you guys to know… ," He sat up, sniffling quietly. "I wanted to get us out. I wanted to get you all out of here,"

Alby nodded, taking deep, shaky breaths. Gally and Newt, their eyes filled with helplessness, nodded to him as well. There was nothing more say. They could only wait.

And that was the worst of all.

* * *

"How is he, Jeff?"

Alby kept his voice low as he stood, his arms crossed over his chest, in the Med Jack's hut. Gally, Newt and Minho had been sent back to the fire. The black-haired Runner was given a warning about returning to the Maze too quickly and was instructed to tell Ben there would be no run the next day.

Hank lay like a lifeless corpse on the sick bed, Clint was watching over him. Jeff had taken a break to speak with Alby. The Med Jack ran a hand through his thick hair, looking as helpless as Alby felt.

"I've never seen anything like this, not that I've seen all that much," He sniffed and folded his arms. "That Griever, it injected something into him, some kind of poison. I don't know if it's contagious or completely harmless. I'm not sure if he's gonna sleep this off or… if this is going to kill him. Clint has tried every medicine we have and nothing has changed. He's quiet now, but whatever is in him, it's spreading. His entire system has been rewired; I mean he's not breathing properly, he's thrown up most of the herbs we've given him. Alby…," Jeff turned to his leader, his eyes shining. "I'm not sure if he's gonna make it,"

Alby could not answer, the probability of losing one of the Glader's seemed like a dream, a distant nightmare he had hoped would never rear its ugly head. Although, deep down, he could not deny that he had known it had only been a matter. What scared him now was that he didn't know what it would mean.

Jeff was waiting for some sort of assurance from him and Alby was hard pressed to give it.

"Keep him as still as you can; don't let him overexert himself. Take shifts watching him and I'll come back in the morning,"

Jeff nodded, he did not look hopeful and Alby could only nod to him before ducking out of the hut.

There was much to think about.

* * *

Gally and Newt, who had rejoined the Glader's at the fire, were not allowed to divulge the information they had obtained at the meeting. They did their best to calm some of the Glader's, who peppered them with questions.

"Is Hank going to be alright?"

"Does Alby know what's going to happen?"

Newt raised his hands to the eagerness.

"Alby will have more to say tomorrow. There isn't anything to be done tonight. We just have to wait, Alby will figure this out,"

The boys muttered amongst themselves, not entirely convinced the two were that confident. After a while, the Glader's left to bunk down for the night and the two headed to their own hammocks. They met Eve on her way back from her evening bath.

Her eyes were wide and she looked nervous.

"They still don't know what's wrong with him, do they?"

Newt shook his head.

"No, we don't know any more than we did this afternoon,"

Gally was distracted, kicking at the ground as he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. Eve cocked her head at him.

"What's wrong?"

Gally sat down in the hammock, his back to her.

"It's a change for the Glade. Who knows what that could mean?"

Newt intervened before Eve could ask anything more.

"We don't know and for now, that's all we do know. There's no use in bloody dissecting what we don't know, alright? Let's get some sleep and Alby will have more for us in the morning,"

Gally did not respond as he started to take off his boots, tossing off his shirt without a care for where it landed.

"We do know something, things are going change from here on out, a change in the Glade is never a good thing,"

Newt looked over at Gally, willing him to be silent. Eve, sitting crossed legged in her hammock was watching the Builder with wide eyes. Gally only continued, turning around to meet her gaze.

"If Hank dies, maybe we all die. Maybe that's it, game over,"

"Slim it, Gally," Newt's voice was strained. Eve looked back at him and then to Gally. The blonde scowled at Newt and ducked under his covers. Eve bit her lip as she turned back to Newt.

"Do you think that's true?"

Newt put up his hands, he was not going to make any assumptions about the subject.

"I don't know and neither does Gally. Let the morning bring what it may. Go to sleep, both of you,"

Eve didn't respond as Newt kicked off his boots and pulled his shirt over his head. Finally, they both tucked into their hammocks, settling in for the night.

* * *

Morning came, only to remind the Glader's that they were still alive. A sense of dread, fear and anxiety floated in the air and everyone pretended to go about their work, stealing quick glances to the Med Jack hut. Gally and Eve were in the woods, collecting tree branches, but even they kept their ears priced for any sort of noise. There was little to choose from, all as quiet in the Glade that day.

Newt was doing his best to keep work going, speaking over a few planting ideas with Zart as the two inspected the garden. Fry Pan and Winston were close by, speaking quietly with their heads pressed in. Minho and Ben were nowhere to be seen, but they had not left the Glade; Newt was keeping an eye out for them. The work was minimal, but it was enough to keep the Glader's distracted for the moment.

Alby was conferring with Jeff and Clint, he had been in the Med Jack hut since the first light of dawn had bled into the sky. Hank's condition had not changed.

"I can't explain it," Jeff stood with a hand over his face, looking at the ground. The Med Jack's face was drained of colour and he looked exhausted; neither had had any sleep since Hank had been placed into their care. Jeff spread his fingers before his face as if in defeat. "He's quieted down, hasn't tried to break out of his restraints since he stopped screaming. But he looks the same; I mean he's talking, but he still isn't making any sense,"

Alby, who stood before Jeff, looked over his shoulder to where Clint was bending over Hank. The Runner lay on the bed, bare-chested and slick with sweat, his eyes closed as if he was asleep. He was twitching, his head whipping from one side to the other, mumbling under his breath as Clint looked over his arms and legs. The black vein-like patterns covering his skin had not dwindled, but they did not seem to have grown either. The hole above his heart was cleaned and bandaged, but dark blood stained the corners of the thin fabric. Jeff shrugged, bringing Alby's attention back to him, his report was altogether too short.

"We haven't been able to decipher anything he's said. He won't answer any of our questions about the Griever or how he got stung. All he talks about is 'them' as if he thinks someone is here in the hut with us, I can't understand it,"

Alby nodded, running his thumb over his chin as he thought over the possibilities.

"You haven't tried to take, whatever it is, out of him?"

Jeff spread his arms wide, helpless.

"I don't think we can. We've drawn blood, broke into one of those black vessels early this morning; it's just dark blood. We've tried to strain it, clean it you know, but we can't. Nothing we're giving him is helping either," Jeff looked hopeless, defeated as he looked up at Alby; he kept his voice low as he delivered the final blow. "I don't think we're going to be able to save him,"

Alby didn't respond for a time, chewing on his thumb. After a few minutes of silence, he nodded to Jeff and stepped around him, into Clint's space. The Keeper looked up, shaking his head.

"Jeff has said it all, Alby. There's nothing I can do for him,"

Alby crossed his arms over his chest, thoughts and emotions swirling around in his mind.

"What are our options?" His voice was heavy.

Clint stood up, stepping away from Hank to speak to Alby more directly; his face was hollow and his eyes were dull.

"We don't, we're out of options," he looked back at Hank, who was squirming, seemingly oblivious to their presence. His mutterings were hardly audible, his mouth moving in seemingly senseless patterns. Clint looked back to Alby, his eyes black with sadness. "We can only take away his pain," His voice was a whisper.

Alby dropped his arm, eyeing Clint seriously. The Mad Jack nodded, hanging his head. Alby swallowed.

"You mean…?"

Clint looked back up at him.

"That's the only thing we have left. This... this is no way to live," He gestured to Hank. "We... we can't save him Alby... I can't do it," The new Med Jack was defeated, his first case a failure. Alby was quiet for some time. He knew what Clint and Jeff had told him was the truth; their list of options had run out. The probability of Hank dying was almost inevitable, but he could not help feeling like it was still up to the Runner. Patting the Med Jack on his shoulder, Alby stepped around him, walking slowly over to the sick bed. He knelt down beside the incoherent Runner; Hank did not react to his presence. Alby licked his lips and looked down.

"Hank," Alby's voice was soft, intense.

The Runner twitched, turning his head to Alby and back again, his eyes remained closed; no response.

"Hank, it's your choice," Alby stared at Hank, his hands trembling.

No response, more twitching, mumbling. The words soon became tangible and Alby picked up the rambling.

"They're here, I can see them. They can see me!" His breath was ragged, smelling of something rotten as he panted out each syllable. The black gunk had been cleaned off his mouth, face and chest; nothing could be done for the black poison running through his veins. Alby bowed his head, sadness and despair threatening to drown him. He looked up once more, his eyes misty.

"It's your choice Hank," his voice was soft, hardly a whisper. Clint stood a few feet from Alby, unable to look up. Jeff joined his superior and looked on, his eyes focused but watery.

Hank's voice changed, his words slurred and desperate.

"Please…. please. You have to do it,"

Alby stepped closer, his eyes zeroing in on Hank.

"We have to do what, Hank?"

Hank didn't respond right away, continuing to squirm and twist, slowly becoming more agitated. Suddenly, his eyes flew open and he strained against the ropes tying him down.

"Please! Please… you must!" His voice was determined, almost clear, but he did not shout. Alby stood up, leaning a knee on the sick bed, trying to catch Hank's eye. The Runner twisted back and forth, frothing as he fought to free his arms and legs. A tear rolled down his cheeks as he looked up at the Glade leader. Hank seemed to recognize Alby and reached out his hands, feebly, toward him. Alby bent further in and Hank grasped his shirt weakly, sobbing as he looked up at him. A thin trail of blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth and his darkened eyes were filled with all the sadness of the world.

"Kill me," Hank knew what he said now, it was unmistakable. His gaze pierced into Alby's. "Please. Kill me,"

Ably took his hands and held them in his own, trembling as he looked into the Runner's eyes.

"Hank… ,"

Hank scratched at Alby's hands surrounding his own, tears mingling with the blood on his face.

"You must!" He choked on some more blood. "Kill me. Please!" His voice rose and was shrill with desperation. He was dying and he knew it; there was nothing to be done for him. "Kill me! Kill me... please," He pulled his hands away and grasped at Ably's arms, his shoulders and onto his shirt, pulling his body up as much as he could. "Kill me! You have to kill me!"

Alby pulled back, letting Hank fall back onto the bed, his hands still grasping at his shirt. A tear fell onto the pillow; Alby was shaking, the eyes of the Runner forever imprinted in his mind. He took a shuttering breath and closed his eyes, another tear trailing down his cheek. He nodded, the enormity of that decision almost causing him to topple.

"If that is what you want," Although he spoke with authority, the pain in his voice was unmistakable.

Hank's hands dropped to his sides, his body convulsing with a sudden fit of coughing. More blood sprayed from his mouth and Alby took a step back. Clint and Jeff were in shock, their faces red as they looked on to their leader.

Alby stood straight, his fists curling as he fought back more tears. He couldn't bring himself to give Hank his wish. He could not kill him, it was against everything in his being. It was the opposite of everything his body was screaming for him to do. Save him! Do everything you can, just save him! Don't give up!

But they had to.

There was nothing else they could do and Hank was pleading, begging for them to take his life. He knew there was nothing to be done and he wanted to it be over. Alby could not tear his gaze away from those of the Runner's, they were so desperate, black and empty. They would never shine again; they would never see the outside of this Maze. The Glade leader took a step back, catching his breath as he steadied himself. After a moment, he beckoned Clint forward. The Med Jack Keeper sniffed, wiping his eyes on his sleeve as he stepped up to Alby; Jeff covered his mouth with his hands and turned away. Alby looked up into Clint's eyes and the Med Jack took a step back, his eyes widening as he took in Alby's meaning. His hands began to shake as he held them up.

"I can't, Alby please! I can't do it! Don't make me do it!"

Alby blinked his eyes closed, opening them again to another fresh round of tears. He beckoned Clint forward again, taking him by the shoulders as he came closer.

"I would never ask someone do something that I could not do myself. I will do it," His voice broke and he averted his eyes. "Bring me a knife,"

Hank, who had finished coughing, was becoming agitated, pulling his ropes. He began to scream.

"Kill me, kill me! Please, just kill me!" His body convulsed again; the poison taking over; the madness of before seemed to be returning. "They're here! They did this! It was them! Kill me, kill me before they do!" He screams were ragged and exhaustive, but the echoing caused Alby to flinch; his cries would be carrying out into the Glade by now and he was afraid for the others. He looked back to Clint, his eyes unfocused.

"Get me a knife,"

The Med Jack nodded and Alby kneeled down beside Hank, trying to calm him. Hank only continued to scream.

"Kill me! Kill me! Please, kill me!"

Clint reappeared, weeping as he handed Alby over his knife. Jeff looked back through his fingers, tears streaming down his face. Alby took a deep breath, holding the knife, frozen, in his hand. Hank grasped for it, his eyes wide and deathly black.

"Yes! Kill me! Please, Alby! You must!"

Ably closed his eyes, his whole body fighting against his arm as he raised it over Hank. He gripped the handle of the knife, squeezing his eyes shut. Hank continued to scream, the echoes getting louder and louder and soon Alby could not hold it back. He cried out, pained and ashamed, his own scream mingling with those of Hank until finally, he plunged the knife down, straight into Hank's heart, a sickening squish following the impact.

The boy screamed, an unearthly, unnatural strangled cry. Alby turned his head away, sobbing as he pulled the knife away; his hand covered in the blood now pooling from Hank's chest. The Runner shivered and squirmed, breathing heavily as his mouth opened in a silent cry. Fresh, red blood was beginning to seep out of the wound, turning brown against the black sludge. Clint turned his face away, his face in his hands as Hank gave his final cry, stopped shaking and lay still, the life in his eyes dwindling into a dull black nothingness.

Silence.

They sat for some time, no one knew how long. Hank lay dead on the table, the black veins receding into a dark blue, cyan and finally, white. The life drained from his body and his vacant eyes stared into nothing. Alby leaned his forehead on the sick bed, tears stinging his face. Clint could not look back, his body was shaking and Jeff stepped forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, his own eyes swollen and red.

"It's what he wanted," Jeff's voice was muffled, full of tears. Alby looked up at them, sadness swallowing his speech. Jeff nodded to his leader and wiped at his eyes. Alby looked back up at Hank, his body shivering. Slowly, he reached forward and closed Hank's eyes, his final courtesy. Jeff gave a shuddering sigh.

"We have to tell the others," He was trying to sound strong, but his voice was breaking.

The job seemed impossible and Alby could not bring himself to move for another long moment. He took one last look at Hank.

"Take the knife and clean it. Clean everything he touched," His voice was heavy as if the commands took away all his strength. "I will make the announcement to the Glader's and we will bury him… bury him in the woods,"

Jeff nodded and Clint finally looked up, his eyes averted from the figure on his table. The Keeper of the Med Jack's took the knife from Alby and the Glade leader stood up, shaking as he straightened himself. Nodding once more to Jeff, he stepped slowly out of the hut. He came face to face with the Glader's, every last one of them stood as still as statues, their work is forgotten. Their eyes looked fearful and they stood like frightened deer, ready to escape at a moments notice. Gally and Newt stood off to one side, concern darkening their eyes, arms folded over the chest.

Alby stepped out fully into the Glade, the sun shining on his tear-stained face. He spoke to them what most already knew.

"Hank is dead. There was nothing more our Med Jack's could do. It was Hank's last wish that we ease his pain," Alby felt his voice clog in his throat and he turned away, wiping the stray tears from off his cheeks. The pain and sorrow would soon be crowded with fear and confusion as he would decide what was to be the next course of action.

Was Hank's death the end of this game or was it only the beginning? What changes would this new component play in the Maze? Only time would tell.

Alby looked back up into the faces of his boys. A few had shed tears and turned their faces, others merely stood still, staring into the distance. Gally looked at the ground and Newt only looked on, concern and fear mingling in his face. Alby did the only thing he had the strength to do.

"We will bury him tonight; we will scratch his name off the Wall,"

Muted and dull agreement spread among the boys, overshadowed quickly by questions, doubts and fears.

"What will this mean for the rest of us?"

"Was Hank contagious, will the Med Jack's catch it?"

"Is the game over?"

"Are we going to die?"

Alby lifts up his hands for silences, the questions that he knew he could not answer were too much for him.

"Please! I do not have the answers to your questions. We must do all we can in the present and time will tell us what we need to know. We must have patience!"

"How can we have patience when this change could be the last?" It was Gally's voice that interrupted the mournful silence that followed and Alby closed his eyes. The defiant blonde was fearless expect when it came to change; it plagued him.

"We don't know anything Gally, we must do as we have always done. We must adapt and move on,"

Gally looked about to say more, but Newt shoved him and he closed his mouth, his eyes darkening. He would have more questions and Alby only hoped he could answer them all.

* * *

Hank's body was washed clean, all traces of blood and debris wiped away. Jeff had worked on the limb body, while Clint sanitized everything Hank had left traces of his dark blood on.

Hank was wrapped in the tattered remains of his shirt and he was lifted lightly onto a wooden plank, his arms hanging off limply. Gally, Newt, Minho and Ben were called upon to carry the board and the boys, grim-faced, carried the Runner into the forest.

The Glader's followed close behind the slow-moving procession, each held a stray branch of willow before them. They had never had a burial before and it was a new experience; one that they hoped never to see again. Alby walked just behind Hank, looking down at the still face of the dark haired boy.

He looked peaceful; nothing like the raving lunatic that had come back from the Maze; the Maze that had ultimately claimed his life. The Griever had pumped poisonous death into his veins and it was not for the sake of trying that he lay here now, as white as snow. Ably looked away, forward as the boys walked through the trees; he couldn't bear to look at the lifeless form any longer.

It was the beginning of the evening, the light was just starting to fade and the coolness of the night crept up through the earth. The darkness only damped the mood as the Glader's glided through the trees, their procession ghostly in the beginnings of twilight.

Gally had found a spot near the back of the farthest wall of the Glade, somewhere it would not be easy to stumble upon unless you knew you were coming that way. Just behind a large, oddly twisted tree was a small valley that dipped down to hit the Wall and Gally had chosen the very edge of the dip, underneath the leaves of the straggly tree.

"His death was just as shucked up as this tree," was all he said when Alby questioned him on his choice; no more was said on the subject. Alby couldn't think of a reason why he was wrong.

The boys set down the board slowly, allowing Hank to settle on the earth. A human-sized hole had been dug that afternoon by Gally and Winston; the two had been glad of something to do.

Hank was lifted up, carefully so as not to let his head fall and placed into his resting place. The Glader's stepped up, silently, one by one to rest their willow branches on top the Runner. Minho and Ben were among the last to approach the hole. Minho knelt down, tears running down his cheeks as he lay his willow on Hank's chest.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," His voice choked and he stood up. Ben gripped his shoulder, holding back his own tears, shaking as Minho held onto his other shoulder. The two Runners took a step back as Ably laid the last branch over Hank.

"You will forever be remembered for your bravery and the life you gave for your fellow Glader's. Rest in peace, Hank," Alby's voice was wispy and he didn't say anymore as he stepped back. Gally, Winston and Newt stepped forward, holding shoves. They began to cover the body with pile upon pile of upturned earth. The Glader's watched on in silence as Hank was buried. Bound to spend the rest of eternity underneath the ground, never knowing who he had truly been and why he had been sent to this hell.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, I hope it wasn't too gruesome. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the reviews.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey, I'm sorry about the delay in getting this out. It's a long chapter and the content is pretty heavy. It was hard to convey what I was really trying to say. And I know this is probably going to be pretty intense, but it's just one way I think this could have gone if it ever happened.**

* * *

Alby, Newt, Minho and Gally sat underneath the dugout roof, another gathering of the first four well underway. It had been five days since they had buried Hank in the back of the woods. Returning to normal had been a slow process as the Glader's grieved for their fellow brother. The tower building was on hold and Runners had not left the Glade since they brought Hank back.

It was still unknown whether Hank's death meant the game was over. But after so many days, the idea steadily became dismissed and hope once again started to mingle with the mourning.

But a change was still a change; hence the meeting.

"The real question is, what in the bloody hell are we to do now?" Newt wished that he could boil down all the confusion into one, solid question. Unfortunately, it was much more complicated than that.

"We do all we can do for the moment and deal with whatever changes come," Alby hated the unknown just as much as the others, but his lack of urgency was not taken well by Gally.

"This is a change, right now! Shouldn't we be doing something about it now?" Gally was bristling, his dislike of changes clouding his temperament.

Alby glanced up at the blonde, sighing heavily.

"Like what?"

Gally leaned back on the dugout step, his elbow propped on his knees as he animated with his hands.

"We need to determine all our options,"

"How so?" Minho leaned forward on his knees as well, far less enthused. Raw guilt darkened his eyes and his voice was subdued. Gally shrugged, his demeanour almost sarcastic, as if obvious.

"We have to consider all the ideas we've had before, the ones from way back in the beginning. Rehash and implement the ones we stashed. Those kinds of ideas were designed for situations like this!"

Alby, resting his head in his hands, merely stared as he listened to Gally. His under reaction did not damper the blonde's energy. He sat up straighter, looking up at the roof as if for inspiration

"There were only so many of those ideas. The tower was one of them and we already have a plan for that. What else is there?" Gally searched, twirling his hands, seemingly at a loss. "We must have had something, didn't we have a backup? Hank's dead now, does that mean time's up? We have to consider the possibility!"

Alby rubbed his face over in his hand, looking exhausted.

"Gally, we never had a 'backup'. There isn't anything immediately we can do. Minho hasn't finished mapping the Maze and until we know for a fact that there isn't a way out, we can't prepare for it. As of right now, there is a better chance of a way out of here than there is of us being stuck forever,"

Gally scowled, looking away before he continued.

"We can't just sit here and wait forever!"

"We've been doing a bloody good job of it so far," Newt gestured around and above them. "There's food, water, shelter and medicine; it's about as good as it gets right now. Waiting isn't the favoured option, but we are decently comfortable doing it. Minho will figure out the Maze as soon as he can, doesn't seem like much else to be done until he does,"

"Newt is right. What else could we do to prepare?" Alby propped his head up in his palm, watching the blonde.

Gally leaned forward again, serious once more.

"If those things can kill, then what's stopping them? What if it happens again? What if they kill us all? If those Grievers show up in the Glade one day and start stinging us all, then what? Was all this... this whole experiment, was it all for nothing?"

"You're jumping to some fairly lengthy conclusions, Gally. The Griever's haven't stepped foot into the Glade, why would they now?" Alby didn't want to dismiss Gally completely, but he could not help feeling frustrated at the blonde's persistent request to do something drastic.

Gally's spirits could not be dampened though and he ploughed forward.

"Because one of us is dead. Maybe that's a signal for those things to come and end it all for us,"

Minho shook his head.

"Wouldn't they have done that a few days ago if that was the case? Nothing's happened yet,"

Gally tilted his head back and forth, digesting the words but still insistent on his cause.

"We still don't know,"

"Exactly! Gally, we don't know. I don't see the need to do anything immediate based on an unknown," Alby sat up, suddenly tired of the argument. It wasn't getting them anywhere.

Gally sat back, a frown knitting his eyebrows together. Scowling, the blonde crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

"So what, that's it? Life goes back to the way it was and we just wait around until someone else dies?"

Alby held up his hand, trying to stow the blonde's fire. Gally shut his mouth, and four sat silent for a moment, all thinking their separate thoughts. Newt finally broke the silence.

"I won't say I agree with Gally, I don't think we need anything to change any more than it has. But maybe he's on to something,"

Alby looked sideways at his second; Gally and Minho both looked equally surprised. Newt shrugged and leaned in closer to the group.

"There are certain precautions we can take. Actions we can put into place now in case Grievers do come into the Glade. Signals, stores, hiding places, better weapons. Maybe some training?"

Alby sat still, thinking over what he heard.

"It's not a bad idea. The tower is part of that process, but some extra training and fight tactics couldn't hurt. Maybe a defensive plan to determine who goes where if an attack ever occurred," Alby turned the blonde. "Gally, what do you think?"

Gally stared at the ground, his expression unreadable. He raised his eyebrows a few times as if having a conversation in his head before he finally looked up and shrugged.

"It certainly would deal with an attack,"

Alby sighed; he was not satisfied. Minho caught on as well, shaking his hands in front of him as he looked at Gally.

"What else is there to deal with?"

"The reality that we may die out in here," Gally's answer was so blunt and forceful that the others flinched. The idea wasn't a new one, but the blonde painted it so… bleakly.

Alby rubbed his hands over his legs slowly, chewing on his lip as he thought it over. As much as he was convinced there was a way out, he could never prove it for sure.

"So how would we prepare for that?"

Gally shrugged as he leaned forward, rubbing his hand over his chin.

"They had to be telling us something when they sent the girl,"

Alby closed his eyes; the old idea had come back to haunt them and he could not say that he was pleased.

"You can't be serious Gally! I thought we bloody dealt with that? Eve's not here for... well for that!" Newt glared at the Builder.

Gally threw his hands up.

"I thought we didn't know anything for sure? We don't know if she is or if she isn't. But she broke the pattern and that had to mean something! We have to consider all our options and that was one of them! You brought it up when she first arrived and therefore, it was an idea!"

Alby shook his head, wishing that Gally would stop throwing their words back at them out of spite. He was right, the idea had been… well… an idea, but it was ridiculous!

"We already decided that we weren't going to do it, why would we change our minds now? Rember when she fell? She clearly does not want to do it!" Newt, who normally did not get so excited, was speaking rather loudly.

Gally, angry and frustrated, started to speak louder as well.

"So we bring her in here, discuss it with her! It's an option that we haven't explored, haven't tried. It's all a puzzle, right?! Well, this is a problem, this is a curve in the Maze, something we should try!"

"Be serious Gally, trying to raise a kid, here? That would be death!" Minho had temporarily forgotten his grief as he argued with Gally. The blonde contained a yell of frustration as he continued full blown.

"This already is death! This whole thing is hell! The game, the Maze, all the puzzles. It's death in life! Whoever put us here doesn't have a damn soul! How do we know we're not their rats? To do whatever they want? They put her here for a reason and we have to pay attention. She could be part of the Maze! Part of the puzzle!"

Even though he was rambling, even spitting at this point, Gally's words slowly started to cause doubt, confusion and anger in the other three boys. The reality of their situation was, simply, that they had no sure idea about anything. The ideas they did have were based on thought and belief and even then, they could come crashing down in the blink of an eye. The real reason Eve had come up in the Box was still a mystery and Gally could be right, no matter how crazy it sounded. There was no way of knowing for sure if he was right or wrong.

The silence dragged on for what seemed like hours until Alby finally looked up at Gally. The blonde met Alby's gaze defiantly, challenging him.

Alby sighed, rubbing his face once again.

"I can't deny that you might be right,"

"Alby, you can't be serious?" Newt was quick to butt in. Alby gestured for him to back down and continued, speaking slowly.

"I can't deny it and I can't confirm it. It was an idea and we can't say one way or the other if it's the right one. But it is there… ,"

Ther was a heavy silence as the three awaited Alby's final verdict. The Glade leader sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He hated the idea, but he could not deny Gally's logic, no more than he could justify his own theories. Finally, he looked up at them.

"We talk to Eve. Gally, do not think for one moment I am going to do anything against her will. She has her rights and no amount of force from you can make her do it. This is her life as much as it is ours, so get that through your thick skull,"

Newt and Minho's eyes were wide with shock, but Alby continued.

"We'll bring Eve here and discuss it with her. She knows that we had dismissed the idea, so we will explain, calmly, why we have brought it up again. She can decide what is to be done from then harm or judgement will be passed on her if she rejects the idea. Understood?" His last instruction was mainly pointed at Gally, but all three nodded. Minho and Newt still looked unbelieving.

"You're really going to go through with it?" Minho's voice was disbelieving but Alby stood firm to his decision.

"I'm not going through with anything. This decision is too big to be taken lightly. We will discuss it with Eve and I think we have more to think over before any kind of decision is made. This... in all interest, is for the Glade. This is to determine if her arrival meant anything more. But it's up to her,"

Minho shut his mouth and Newt chipped in for Alby.

"I guess there's no harm in talking about it,"

Gally was very quiet, staring at the floor. Now that he was being taken seriously, he looked uncomfortable, as if he was not sure he had thought it through enough. Alby glanced meaningly at the blonde until he looked up.

"It's your idea, Gally, you're going to have to be the one to ask,"

Gally looked to scowl, his mouth open as if to complain. Alby gave him a look and he closed his mouth. Fuming for a few moments, Gally rolled his eyes. Slowly, he stood up and stomped, sullenly, up the steps back into the sun. Alby rubbed his forehead once he had left.

"If I ever meet the bastard who had this brilliant idea of a Maze… I'll kick him square in the groin,"

* * *

To say that Eve was surprised would be an understatement.

The day had been quiet for her. Her climbing had stopped for the moment, but the boys still had to eat. Fry Pan had asked her to pick a few vegetables for the evening meal and she had been quick to do it; the work took her mind of all that had happened.

But she had not expected Gally, stampeding around the vine stalks like a charging bull, to meet her there. The blonde nearly fell over her as she crouched between some vines to reach the reddest tomatoes. Steadying himself, he had fumed over her for a few moments before beckoning her, rather forcefully, to follow him. Gally did not sound comfortable with her, taking the extra precaution to walk a few feet ahead as she did as she was asked, following behind him.

Multiple different thoughts ran through her head as she saw they were walking in the direction of the dugout. One was crowding out them all, her worst nightmare could be coming true. They were going to hold her responsible for Hank's death. She bit her lower lip, trembling as she stumbled along behind Gally underneath the roof and into the shade. Alby, Newt and Minho were already there, sitting together as if they had been discussing something. Gally, without looking at her, sat down a short distance from the others, staring down at the floor with his hands out before him. Eve stood still, her hands clasped nervously before her, no one looked particularly excited to see her and she began to feel frightened, sweat beading on her forehead.

Alby finally looked up at her, his expression unreadable, and motioned for her to take a seat. Eve hesitated but soon sat down abruptly on a dirt step. The silence dragged on, no one really knew where to start and eventually, Alby clapped his hands together, his face a picture of discomfort. Eve's heart dropped and she gripped the dirt underneath her, crumbling it in her fingers.

"Eve, we wanted to talk to you-,"

"It wasn't my fault!" Eve interrupted him, her pleading. Alby and the boys looked on in surprise shook her head. "Please, you can't blame this on me. I know I am a change and that they always turn out bad. But, I didn't do anything! I can't have done anything to cause his death! Please... please don't blame it on me," Gally sat still, glaring at her as if she was crazy. Alby reached out his hands to her.

"Eve, Eve! We would never blame you for this. Hank's death was an accident, no one is to blame,"

Eve stared at Alby, tears in her eyes. She suddenly became self-conscious, well aware of how pathetic she looked. Brushing a hand over her face, looking at the floor, trying to collect herself. She took a moment to settle herself and the boys looked on in silence before she continued, her voice muffled and wavering.

"You... you don't blame me for the death?"

Alby shook his head; Gally grunted softly and turned his head away, clearly exasperated. Newt spoke up.

"Why would we do that?"

Eve turned to look at him, sniffling gently as she fought to calm herself. She had worked herself up into believing the possibility was reality and now, it just seemed ridiculous.

"I was a change in the pattern...,"

Newt shook his head, sympathy in his eyes.

"Hank still would've been stung even if you hadn't shown up. There's no way you caused it,"

Eve felt more tears welling up in her eyes and she ducked her head, flexing her fists in an effort to contain herself.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to be so aggressive, I just... I just thought... I thought that was why you wanted to see me,"

Alby leaned forward, a small smile on his face.

"There is no need to apologize, all is forgiven. Please, don't worry anymore, you are not being blamed,"

Eve looked up, taking deep, even breathes to calm her nerves. She tilted her head at them, suddenly confused now that the threat of punishment was off the table.

"So… why am I here?" It didn't make any sense; why had she been invited to such a secret meeting if she was not in trouble?

The mood in the dugout suddenly shifted. Newt leaned back, folding his arms over his chest, keeping his gaze low. Minho remained still, looking at the ground as an excuse not to meet her eye. Alby leaned back as well, looking pointedly at Gally as if waiting for the blonde to speak. Gally would not look at any of them, rubbing his hands together, and scowling darkly. He looked angry, and Eve soon began to feel nervous again; what was going on with them?

Alby finally spoke up, his voice firm.

"It's your idea, Gally," He emphasized the word your.

The blonde looked away, folding his arms over his chest. His face was red and he began to tap his foot, his leg shaking. Eve looked from him, back to Alby, the two boys and back again.

"What's going on?" Eve had ripped a chunk of dirt out from beside her, her knuckles white. The anticipation was torture and she could not help but feel like she really was in trouble.

Alby frowned in the blonde's direction.

"Now, Gally," He didn't shout, but the force was enough.

"Alright, alright!" Gally sat back up, resting his hands at his side; he refused to look at Eve directly as he raised his gaze. His cheeks were red and he was struggling to control his temper. "We were discussing our… options for what to do if Hank's death meant the end of the Maze. If our efforts to escape were useless and there was no longer a way out,"

Eve did not move, Gally sounded so strained. Her heart began to beat faster, her mind swirling. Gally rubbed the back of his head, ducking his head briefly before he continued.

"We decided that we would enforce training tactics in case of an attack on the Glade. Make sure we're prepared. We don't know if we will be here forever and we don't know if we can get out. Everything we do know, we don't actually know and we're weighing everything we have,"

Newt rolled his eyes, becoming tired of Gally's fumbling.

"Bloody hell Gally, get the point! You were so insistent a few minutes ago, what's the problem?"

Gally scowled at him, his face only getting redder. Eve looked back and forth, getting more and more frustrated with their vague comments.

"What is it?!"

Gally, fuming, turned to look at her.

"We brought up your arrival and decided we had better start discussing the potential of a long-term situation!"

Eve's eyes got wide, her heart dropped into her stomach and she froze. Alby watched her closely and leaned forward.

"We thought it best to talk to you. Hear your thoughts," He was much calmer than Gally and the blonde rolled his eyes, looking away again. Eve couldn't speak for a time and when she did, her voice was pitched.

"You mean… if I'm here for… ?"

Ably nodded, looking grim; but he quickly cleared any confusion.

"We aren't asking your permission, we do not have the right to force this upon you. We merely wanted to hear your thoughts. Nothing has been set in stone and nothing will be done until we have discussed this thoroughly. Don't worry Eve, this is a safe space,"

Eve blinked, cold sweat making her shiver.

"I thought..," her voice trembled. "I thought that wasn't in the plan? There is a way out the Maze, right?"

Minho spoke up, his prose on the Maze called upon him.

"As far as we know, there has always been a way out. But we haven't found it yet and I don't know how long it will take to find it. We were discussing what Hank's death meant. We don't know if his death qualified as a failure or not; the way out could have been destroyed. We don't know any of this for sure, but we have to be prepared for anything,"

Alby chipped in, refining Minho's words.

"All we're saying is, that there are too many unknowns for us to settle for just one plan and we have to have options for any potential scenario. This is one of them. We just want your opinion,"

Gally was rubbing his neck, his face still red. It had been his idea to tread into these waters, but now that he was wet, he was not sure it worth all the discomfort he felt.

Eve stared at the ground, her hands trembling. The security of being able to get out of the Maze was slowly slipping away and she could not help but feel terrified. If Hank's death meant all this, would they even survive for much longer? The questions seemed endless and unanswerable. She looked back up, almost desperate for some sense of confirmation.

"But if Hank's death means we failed, shouldn't we be dead now? Doesn't the fact that nothing has changed mean it's all fine?" She was grasping at straws and even she knew there was little chance of knowing it for sure. Alby shrugged and leaned forward.

"We can't say for sure one way or the other. This is just an option we have. We aren' planning anything without your input Eve,"

Newt smiled at her.

"No need to worry your head about it all. Just let us know what you're thinking. Alby's right, it's more your choice than ours,"

Eve took a deep breath, the weight of their words pulling her down. She knew they only meant the best for everyone, but it still seemed to be a disadvantage for her. She crossed her arms and leaned forward, running her fingers through her hair, she covered her face, trying to think, to focus.

This all seemed so surreal, even more so than living in the Glade. They were asking her to give up her body, her only remaining right, to help in populating the Glade; an idea that did not seem like a wise one to her. Wouldn't it be better just to die out and let all be well? What if a child was born and they died soon after? What would become of the child? This was no life for anyone, let alone someone too young to take care of themselves. Then again, if they were stuck here forever and there was little fear of attack, populating the place almost seemed sensible. If, in fact, the Grievers did not attack and they were completely safe. There were pros and cons on both sides of the coin.

Alby could see that Eve was struggling and decided he should intervene.

"Look, there is little logical sense in the idea and I am wary of trying it. But Gally made a point, as doubtful as it seems. You could be, for all intensive purposes, part of this puzzle. One girl among boys. I'm not saying it makes sense, but neither does this whole thing," He gestured around them. "But we have to solve this puzzle. We just want you to understand. Please don't think our whole existence depends on your decision. We will adapt to whatever happens to us,"

Eve, who had looked up to hear him, nodded slowly. His words did little to calm her raving nerves, but it did ease her mind. If she said no, the Glade would not perish because of her. But the decision could still not be made easily. She met Alby's eyes.

"Can I take some time to think about what I think?"

Alby nodded, smiling sincerely.

"Of course, whatever you need. We can reconvene when you're ready,"

Gally, who normally would have reacted poorly to the extension of an answer, seemed only to want the whole discussion to be over and stood up faster than the others. He took the lead as the five of them stepped back into the Glade; the light had faded into a dull grey and a small fire was underway. The Glader's were gathered around it, silent and glum, grief still running high among them.

Fry Pan had bought out his pot and was stirring it over the tiny, working flames. The smell was instantly intoxicating.

Eve was walking slowly, trailing behind and Newt turned back.

"You coming for something to eat?"

She shook her head, not meeting his eyes.

"I don't think so,"

He frowned, dropping back to walk beside her.

"Some food may do you some bloody good right now. I don't think you can stand to miss another one either,"

Eve shrugged.

"I'll eat later, Clint won't let me skip the meal anyway. But… I just need some time… alone right now. If you don't mind?"

Newt smiled at her understandingly.

"Take all the time you need,"

Eve smiled back, faintly.

"Thank you,"

Newt joined the others and Gally turned back, seeing Eve make a beeline for her hammock. He frowned.

"She's not gonna eat? She's too skinny to miss another meal!" He sounded frustrated, the discomfort had made him irritable. Newt shrugged, butting ahead of the blonde in the line for food.

"I wouldn't be able to eat either. Clint'll give her something later. It's really on you Gally, you brought all this up," Newt knew the decision to discuss the idea further had ultimately been Alby, but he could not help but lighten up the mood by poking fun at the blonde. Gally growled at him.

"Lay off shank! No one is forcing anything on anyone. Let her think all she wants, she'll have to give us an answer eventually,"

Newt shook his head and walked up the fire. Alby said nothing of Eve not joining them, he was determined not to make it any harder for her and giving her space seemed the best way to do that. Fry Pan nodded to them as they came closer.

"Tomato and goat stew, a cold night needs a hearty meal to keep us all warm,"

Alby smiled as he gladly accepted a wooden bowl from the cook, the fragment smell causing him to inhale deeply.

"Smells delicious Fry,"

The cook nodded happily and handed out food for Newt, Gally and Minho as they joined the rest of the boys around the fire. Alby quickly took control once more.

"Let's eat up and enjoy the night boys. Hank would have wanted up to move on. Work still needs to be done around here. The tower needs more levels and the Maze still needs to be run. Minho, are you willing to go back in tomorrow?"

The Runner nodded, checking with Ben as he spoke for the both.

"For Hank," Was his simple reply and Alby raised his drink in the air.

"For Hank!"

The Glader's joined in on the cry and began to eat, jokes and laughter lifting into the air for the first time since Hank's death. His memory lived on in their stories, insults and Gally even entered the Fight ring. Some well-needed venting went on as the boys brawled with each other. Gally remained, for all the world, the ultimate champion and the boys began to cheer as Alby was finally persuaded to test the blonde's metal. It was a close call, but Gally still came out on top and Alby took it in stride; the Glade needed someone as strong as Gally and he pounded him on the back as more drinks were passed around. A celebratory spirit came alive and they did not douse the fire until the blackness was almost total.

It was only then that Eve crept to the pond.

Her evening bath was the last thing on her mind, but going to bed without it just seemed like another blow on top of all that had happened that day. Almost automatically, she began to strip down to her underwear and with the bar of soap in her hands, grimacing as the cold water embraced her, she began to scrub away at her skin.

It had finally happened, her purpose for being her was up for debate and it seemed like it was unavoidable now. She was a girl and she could only do one thing that the boys could not.

It was a nightmare.

She knew in her heart that Alby and the others only hoped to solve this puzzle; their intents were not evil, but she could not help but wish they had let the idea die all those months ago when she had first arrived. It was her fourth month in the Glade and apparently, it had only been a matter of time before this would be the next option. Eve had to think about it logically. If she did indeed agree to it and became pregnant, what would happen?

She would be useless until the child was born and if she didn't die from the delivery, she would have to spend her remaining days caring for the child. Then what? Was she supposed to continue bearing more and more children until she did indeed die? And if they did find a way out of the Maze, what would become of them all?

Eve ducked her head under the freezing water, squeezing her eyes shut as she let the water wash away the soapy residue. After a moment, she resurfaced and took a deep breathe in, shivering from the chilly air. The Glade was quiet other than the occasion chirp of a cricket and rustle of the wind in the grass. The overall silence was thick and Eve could not help but feel utterly alone. A few tears fell from her eyes and she bowed her head, letting them splash into the water before her. It felt good to cry, but it didn't help her situation. After a while, she looked back up, sniffing as she wiped the moisture away. Slowly, she stepped out of the water, shivering as she wrapped a towel her small frame, sitting down to keep warm.

What if it didn't work? The idea seemed so simple that it was foolish. What if she couldn't get pregnant? What if that was just another puzzle. Trying it would be useless then. But how would they know without trying?

Eve rubbed her face, wishing she could just make up her mind. Her heart was screaming for her to say no, it was not what she wanted! But her head was churning with thoughts. It was for the good of the Glade, you have to continue your line. You're going to die here, you have to do what you were made for. What you were sent for.

The clash between logic and want were at bitter war in her mind and Eve could not decide. There was no black and white in this picture and she could not find a definite outweighing balance for either side. Finally, after more wrestling, she stood up and dressed as quickly as she could. She wanted to be in her hammock, she was yearning for the warmth and protection that only sleep could provide. Taking one last moment to steady herself, Eve ran back to the little covering.

Gally and Newt were already in their hammocks when she approached and she slowed to a creeping walk; she was not in the mood to speak to either of them. As quietly as she could, she folded her towel next to her hammock and she sat down into it. She slid off her shoes and threw her legs under the blanket, wiggling her toes in the warmth.

"You took your sweet time,"

Eve groaned inwardly as she heard Gally beside her. Turning on her side, she turned her back on him; he was the last person she wanted to talk to. This was all his fault; all this struggle was on him.

"Well, I'm back now," She refused to turn to him or to say anything else. Gally seemed to be unwilling to start anything either and Eve soon heard him settle back in. It was unlike him not to have the last word, but something about his whole attitude was all too familiar. He wanted a solution to their problem, but he was not receiving an immediate answer and that frustrated him. Eve was not about to give him any satisfaction as she burrowed into her blanket, wishing only for sleep to take over. It took longer than usual, but finally, she sank into unconsciousness.

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 **Thank you again for reading the chapter and I hope you're all enjoying it!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey all, I hope you enjoyed the May long weekend. Here is the next chapter, I'd love to hear your guys thoughts on the story so far. Thank you for reading**.

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It was early the next morning when Alby, Newt, Gally, Minho met once again with Eve in the dugout. Minho had instructed Ben to wait until their meeting had adjourned before heading out into the Maze; today would be a half day of running, as it was their first time back since they had lost Hank. Eve, who had had a virtually restless night, had a lot to say. Now that she had accepted the idea that it could be a possibility, she was ready to voice her opinion without fear.

"I just don't think we've thought this through enough. Is it really wise to try to have a child in the Glade? If we die out, what is the real damage? Repopulating this accursed place seems selfish; especially if we're here forever. There doesn't seem to be much point or sense to it,"

She had been talking for some time now and the boys had listened to her, nodding along when they agreed. After she had summed up her thoughts, Eve sat back, her hands twisted between her legs, chewing on her bottom lip as she waited for the response.

Alby smiled at her, first and foremost.

"Thank you for sharing with us. I am glad you have not taken this lightly one way or the other. You have given the situation much thought and for that, I am grateful,"

Newt and Minho nodded their heads at her, Newt speaking up for the both of them.

"You're braver than most, Eve,"

She nodded, ducking her head as she curled her fingers under her thighs, suddenly nervous as to what would happen next. Gally was the only one who had not spoken up and something about his silence frightened her. After a few moments, Alby turned to him, as if looking for him to speak. The blonde was staring at the ground, his hands out before him, one leg shaking under him. He finally spoke, softly, as if to himself.

"It's not about there being a point. It's about the puzzle we're meant to solve. There had to be a reason they send up a girl,"

Ably leaned forward, trying to meet Gally's eye.

"Maybe it was a mistake, we can't be sure,"

Gally nodded, finally looking up.

"We don't know. That's all we know. If Eve is part of the Maze, then trying this could be a crucial part of our ticket out. If we are here forever, dying out just means they win!"

Eve shook her head, no longer concerned about his behaviour.

"Why would we be here forever though? A puzzle is meant to be solved, why would this be a permanent situation?"

"We don't know! That's the point!" Gally looked up at Eve, his eyes stern. "We don't know anything! It's trial and error. Maybe it isn't permanent, but what if it takes us longer than our generation to solve the Maze? Wouldn't a future generation be logical if we were to keep trying?"

Eve frowned. She had been easily swayed when she first arrived, but she had since grown and was not afraid to speak her mind.

"Running the Maze isn't trial and error. Neither is the building projects. They're organized and you have protocols. Minho isn't allowed to stay out later than half an hour before the Doors closed. There's an order, no assumptions. Besides, he's halfway through now, why would it take us longer than we can live to get out?"

Gally shook his head, becoming frustrated again.

"Because we don't know,"

There was a long silence after Gally's last words and Alby finally interceded once again.

"This is why we must discuss this and come to a conclusion before we jump into anything," He was still not totally in favour of the whole idea and was impressed by the thought going into their options. Newt leaned against the dirt wall, nodding along with all he heard; Minho did not have much to add and merely waited for any opportunity his opinion was needed. Gally, on the other hand, was still determined to have his own thoughts heard.

"There's an order for solutions to improve our living and there are protocols for running in the Maze. But we're trying to get out of here, trying to solve the puzzles. If you're one of those puzzles, then we still have to figure out how to solve it,"

Eve crossed her arms.

"But what if I'm not part of the Maze? What if it was simply an accident like Alby said. What if they didn't mean anything by it?"

Gally shook his head, firm.

"This wasn't a mistake. They would have tried to fix it, do something to take it back. This was on purpose!"

"I thought nothing could be confirmed?"

Gally was starting to get angry, stubbornly stuck on his idea. Eve, in turn, was getting frustrated. Alby raised his hands up between them, sensing the rising tension.

"Alright, you've both made your arguments. You're both right, but that doesn't solve our problem. We have the option before us; I don't exactly see the need for it, but we don't have the luxury of confirmation on our side. We still don't know if an escape is an option anymore, Minho will only know that when he finishes the Maze; when do you estimate that?"

Minho shrugged, not extremely hopeful.

"It's still the same as it's always been. I'm almost finished with the initial run through, but the changes are another thing altogether. Mapping and charting the changes in the Maze is taking its time and I can't exactly say when it will become clear,"

Alby nodded, turning back to Eve.

"There is still a chance, but we can't say for sure. We also can't say for sure if Gally is right and you are part of the puzzle. We've heard your thoughts and I still stand by my beginning statement. We wanted you to be involved in this discussion and only you can determine if this option is to be explored. There will be no judgment either way. Are you prepared to give an answer to how you want to proceed, Eve?"

Eve did not look at him as she stared at the ground. She forgot her anger for a moment to look within.

"There are still so many… questions about it all. I don't like… ," she looked to her left, grasping for words. "I can't say I enjoy the idea, I was terrified last night," She met Alby's gaze as she continued. "It had been a nightmare of mine, that one day you would force it upon me. But I can see that it's not as simple as all that. I can't say I like being pushed to make a decision, it all seems so... rushed. But it's like you said, we don't have the luxury of confirmation. I know you don't want to rush this, but you also have to think of the Glade and solving this puzzle. It's not what anyone wants, but we have to do what we can," Eve stopped to take in a shaky breath, her eyes bright and shiny. "And, as you said, only I can decide,"

Gally's leg stopped shaking and he leaned forward, his eyes serious.

"So what have you decided?"

Eve chewed on her lip, looking at him, almost through him as she remained quiet. She knew what she had decided, but vocalizing was another thing. Taking a deep breath, Eve let it out slowly and sat up straighter.

"I decided… I decided that I would do it if we took that course of action. If you are really determined to explore all our options and do anything you can in an attempt to get out of here, I'll do it,"

No one spoke for a time, the magnitude of the decision was not to be taken lightly; it also opened up another plethora of questions. Questions that no one wanted to ask. Eve looked up at them after a moment, her eyes shining. She was still afraid, the whole thing was terrifying, but she knew that it was for the good of Glade. It was her choice and she wanted to do all she could for the Glader's, as a thank you for all they had done for her.

Alby leaned forward, slowly, deciding what this new confirmation meant. He met her gaze.

"Are you sure?"

Eve nodded.

"I've thought a long time about it, as long as I could anyway without over thinking it. We can't confirm or deny anything we have. We only have what we believe and that's enough for now. Trying it only gives us another answer; we could always use more of those,"

Alby nodded slowly and Newt spoke up, clearing his throat.

"So… what now? Are we going to go through with it?" The idea had sounded alright when that was all it was. But the reality of it was daunting and even he was uncertain if they had been right, to begin with. Alby didn't acknowledge his question, simply speaking out loud as he stared at the ground, rubbing his chin with a thumb and finger.

"It would give us an answer to some questions. Another part of the puzzle solved to open up another problem. It's all in the game; I can't say I ever wanted it to come down to this... but Eve, if you're willing, then I say we put it up to vote and go from there," He looked at the three boys before him.

"All in favour?"

Minho raised his hand, along with Gally. After a moment, Newt did the same, his eyebrows knit together.

"As long as we understand what this means,"

Alby nodded.

"We do, we have it all laid out,"

Gally rubbed the back of his neck, his face tinted red.

"Almost all of it,"

Eve swallowed and looked down at her feet, a whole new feeling washing over her. She was giving her body to the boys or more specifically, one of them. A sense of self-consciousness stirred within her; they had not discussed who it would be. How were they going to decide that? She squirmed, suddenly feeling the discomfort of the night before once again. But she had decided and she was not about to back down on herself.

The boys, who had distinguished what Gally had alluded to, seemed to be just as uncomfortable, the same questions running through their mind. Newt chuckled nervously.

"Which one of us shanks is it going to be?" He seemed to be directing his question generally, but Eve could not help but feel the choice was, once again, hers. She blushed, her cheeks growing warmer as one by one, the boys looked at her. It seemed impossible, what would they think of her? Surely some of them would be repulsed, while others could be offended. How was she supposed to pick among them? How could she ask one of them to become bound to her? They would become responsible for her, another weight in this god-awful place.

Just as she began to squirm, Alby spoke up.

"Have the day to think about it. Not everyone will be pertinent to this job. There are obviously a few of us who need to focus on other things," He looked at Minho who nodded, his own face turning red. Eve would not meet Alby's eyes as he continued; he had basically pulled Minho off the table. "It's up to you and whoever you choose, I understand you are close to some more than others, that will be your best guide. We'll meet again tonight and you can tell us then, understood?"

Eve nodded, rubbing her hands together under her legs, wishing she could disappear and not have to make, yet another, large decision. Minho, Newt and Gally all looked around, unable to meet each other gaze; Gally was as red as a tomato and Newt stared at the ground, his face distorted as if he could not decide one way or the other.

Alby broke up the silence.

"Let's not make it uncomfortable now, this is something we all decided on as a group. I will make an announced at the meal tonight and we'll go from there,"

Eve's eyes got wide and she looked up quickly.

"You're going to tell the others?"

Alby nodded, smiling apologetically.

"I can't keep it from them. It's better they hear it from me rather than hearing about it later. Don't worry, you won't be treated any differently. There was the first Runner and there will be a first… well, Mother, if this does work,"

There was always the possibility that Eve was not fertile. If not, it would only answer the question without unnecessary pain.

Eve did not look at all comfortable, but Alby tried to make the best of it, sympathetic to the girl.

"You're relieved from work for the day, stay away from the others if you need, but they won't bother you about. If they do, report it to me and they'll be taken care of,"

Eve nodded, swallowing hard as she stood up, yet another day of wrestling was before her and she was not looking forward to her decision becoming public knowledge. There was no way around it though. Alby nodded to her and she left the dugout, leaving the boys to let out a breath they had been holding.

Newt, as always, tried to lighten up the mood.

"Well, the worst she can do is decide we're all too bloody ugly,"

Minho smirked, staring at the ground. Gally scowled at him.

"She has to pick one of us,"

Newt wasn't bothered, merely leaning back with a hand behind his head, the other tapping his leg.

"I suppose you expect it'll be you, it being your idea and all,"

Gally's face, which had just begun to return to a normal colour, flared up again and he stood, shaking his head.

"I'm the last on her list! She hates my guts, she knows this was my idea! She'll never pick me!"

Newt chuckled, finally able to relax now that Eve was gone.

"It doesn't sound like you're opposed,"

Minho ducked his head to hid a smile. Gally fumed, moving his hands back and forth in a flustered state.

"I'm not! I mean - I'm not opposed! She's gonna choice someone!"

Minho smirked

"And it could be you," The dark-haired runner could not help but join in, the light mood making the whole situation less tense. Gally turned on him, not appreciative.

"Slim it, Minho! What if she picks Newt?"

Minho shrugged.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see,"

Gally's face was burning, his hands on his hips.

"I guess we will," He stood a moment longer, before turning away as if to leave. Before he could though, Alby called him back.

"Let's leave the choice up to her. But this was your idea, Gally, if she does pick you, I expect you to step up and take care of her,"

Gally swallowed; embarrassment did not suit him and he nodded, trembling as he fought to keep himself calm.

"No trouble there," Minho smirked and Newt closed his eyes, a small smile on his face. Alby waved them off before Gally could speak up.

"Just as Newt will do the same. I don't expect her to pick outside of you two. She's not close enough to the rest of the boys for that and they haven't been briefed enough to understand. Let her decide,"

Minho and Newt nodded while Gally crossed his arms over his chest, still angry. Alby stood up and led the way out from underneath the roof and into the sunlight. Work was going on as normal and Minho decided headed off to fetch Ben, eager to run another portion of the Maze with the time they had. Gally trudged over toward the tower in progress; Winston could already be seen there, shaving down some sticks. Newt followed Ably back to the garden and the Glade leader turned to him as they reached the vines.

"If Eve does choice you, are you willing to proceed with her?"

Newt nodded, a tint of red staining his cheeks.

"I will. It's all part of the game right?"

Alby nodded, placing his hands on his hips.

"I sincerely hope it isn't, but now that we're trying it, I wouldn't trust anyone more than you or Gally,"

Newt smirked and Alby gave him a look.

"Don't give him a hard time,"

Newt waved his hands gently, shaking off Alby's concern.

"I won't. He couldn't be more bloody obvious though,"

Alby smirked and shook his head.

"He spends the most time with her,"

"And it was his idea,"

Nodding, Alby looked out into the garden.

"He's determined to rule out every possibility. I don't think he liked the idea any more than we did, but he's trying to help,"

Newt didn't respond as he walked closer to a line of cucumber plants.

"It's certainly going to give us some answers,"

Alby joined him and the two began pulling out weeds.

"I certainly hope it will,"

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Alby made the announcement of the new development at the evening meal just as promised and it was received with mixed feelings.

A few of the Glader's were worried when they heard Hank's death may have closed off any option of escape, but the idea of procreation seemed to make sense if Eve was part of the Maze. They couldn't be sure of any of it, but it seemed to calm their nerves. Others were confused, puzzled as to why a child in Glade was a good idea. The idea of an attack from the Griever's only made it worse. If they were to die, what was the good of procreating if their days were numbered? Overall, the decision only raised more questions, just as Alby had predicted. He knew that it all seemed based on assumption and they were not really sure if it would help or hinder them, but he knew that the puzzle was constant and anything could be part of it. Eve was the only girl and something had to come of it eventually. He quieted the voices rising up around him with a final word.

"I know that you're confused and I do not have any more answers than you. But we're doing all we can; this could be a key to the Maze. A girl in the Glade could have been a message. We are making what we can out of it and I only ask that you understand. Eve is doing this for the better good; I expect you to treat her with respect for it,"

A few grumblings had followed his address, but the Glader's trusted their leader. He was doing what was best for them. After a few more instructions, Alby let them go for the evening meal, before meeting with Minho once more. The black haired Runner had come back early from the Maze that day; he and Ben had discovered something new. The larger sections had been counted once again and Minho now had the order of their opening. Alby saw it as another piece of the puzzle solved and the announcement cheered the Glader's. The possibilities were growing and hope seemed to still be alive.

All that was left was Eve's decision.

Following the evening meal, Alby gathered his trusted three to him and they gathered in the dugout for the second time that day. Eve joined them once the fire had been doused and the Glader's had ducked down for the night. She had avoided the boys, just as Alby had encouraged, having been absent from all activity for the entire day. She had skipped the evening meal and Fry Pan had been instructed to leave her portion in the kitchen hut.

Eve looked no more comfortable than she had that morning, but she looked determined to push through. Sitting before them now, she could not meet their eyes, studying her feet before them.

Alby leaned forward.

"Have you made a decision?"

Eve nodded, not looking up. She was shivering, the cold of the night getting to her as it always did. Her thin shirt and shorts did not provide the protection she needed.

Gally and Newt didn't speak; it was between the two of them. All of the other Glader's had been taken off the list as Eve could not be expected to choose them. It was only a matter of preference.

Eve finally looked up, her eyes shining. Alby smiled at her, sympathy flooding through his body.

"There is still time to turn back if you want," His voice was soft.

Gally looked up, his mouth open to protest. Newt shook his head at him and the blonde remained silent. Eve shook her head, closing her eyes.

"I can't back down now,"

Alby nodded his acceptance and waited, sitting back to relieve some of the tension. Eve sighed heavily, opening her eyes as her breath rattled within her body. There was no point in dragging it out any longer.

"I choose Gally," Eve sounded very uncertain.

Gally didn't react, his eyes fixed on the ground, but his expression spoke for him; he was shocked. Newt nodded and smiled at Eve, not out of relief, but of understanding. Gally did not look up, his leg drumming the floor.

"You're sure?" His voice was contained, measured. But he choked on his voice and Eve flinched.

"Yes," She definitely did not sound certain.

Gally looked away, rubbing his hand over his neck in silence. Alby looked between them, knowing he would have to give direction if they ever were to start. He could not help but feel a bit of discomfort himself as he spoke up.

"Jeff and Clint can give you use of the Med Jack hut when you need it. You're free to proceed as of now," He was choosing his words carefully, stepping around the delicate state of the situation. Gally was twitching, his thumping foot causing vibrations through the ground and Eve was squirming, her face burning red as she avoided any eye contact. Gally turned his head to Ably, keeping his eyes on the floor, his face steaming, his voice strained

"Tonight," He didn't have to say anything else and Alby nodded to him, looking up toward Eve for her approval. She looked small, frightened; almost as she had upon her arrival, her body hunched and her eyes closed. No response from her indicated that she was not going to oppose, prolonging the event would only make it worse.

The silence became heavy and Alby nodded to Newt and Minho, who stood up, slowly, uncertainly. Neither of the two looked up and Gally only nodded briefly as the three passed him and left the dugout.

The cramped space was empty now, only Gally and Eve sat there, nearly a world apart, not looking at one another. The blonde stilled his leg, staring at the ground as if he could set a fire with his eyes, his face was burning. Abruptly, he stood up, pushing off with his hands on his thighs. Startled, Eve sat up, lifting her eyes to look at Gally. He had hardened his face, his eyes to his right, avoiding her.

Eve breathed out a shuddering sigh.

"I'm sorry," Her voice was a whisper.

Gally grunted, putting his hands on his hips. He breathed out a sigh through his nose and looked at Eve, meeting her gaze. For a moment, he only stared at her and then he shook his head.

"No turning back now. Come on," His voice was not hash, but it was commanding and Eve stood up, unsteadily. She wavered before him for a moment before he huffed through his nose and walked ahead of her out of the dugout. Eve followed him, trying to keep up as he trudged forward through the Glade in the direction of the Med Jack hut. Eve looked back, longingly, at the pond in the distance.

"Can I wash first?" She could not imagine why she would want to drag out the inevitable, but it seemed like her last resort.

Gally did not turn back as he answered, his response short and tempered.

"After,"

Eve frowned, he seemed to be taking over, as if he was in charge. Wasn't this her choice too? Hadn't she been the one with the deciding vote? She sighed heavily as she walked behind him, fighting back a desire to run.

Had she made a mistake?

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 **Again, thank you for reading! Not much else to say, so cheers all.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, I wanted to thank the last two reviewers, I really appreciate you voicing your thoughts and I enjoy your take on the story. It's really satisfying to know people enjoy the stories you write, so thank you so much! Here is the chapter a lot of you may have been waiting for, enjoy!**

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By the looks of it, Alby had already been by the Med Jack hut. For as Gally and Eve approached, Jeff and Clint appeared in the doorway, on their way out to spend the night in the hammocks. Eve felt her face grow hot and she averted her eyes, refused to look up as the four crossed paths. Clint nodded to Gally as he passed by and the blonde nodded back, his eyes dark. Jeff put his hand on Eve's shoulder and she jumped, holding back a small squeal. He leaned in closer to her, his eyes soft.

"Don't worry, you'll be alright, I promise,"

She smiled briefly, a formality. The two Med Jack's must've just been briefed on the subject, and yet they seemed so calm; maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as she had first thought. Squeezing her shoulder gently, Jeff gave her one last nod before following Clint into the Glade. Eve watched them for a moment before she stepped into the hut after Gally, the whole scene seeming hazy and dreamlike. Was this really about to happen? Was she truly about to give her body up to Gally? She was shivering, no longer from the cold, but from fear. It was slowly taking over her and she felt the sudden urge to sit down, to steady herself. Gally strode ahead of her, seeming to have lost his shakiness, turning on his heel to sit down on the sick bed; the one behind the small curtain. He breathed out through his nose again, a controlled noise and looked up at Eve. His eyes expressionless and she stopped at the door, her heart skipping a beat.

This was it, it was going to happen.

Gally heaved a deep sigh and leaned down to undo his boots. Eve moved to her left, seeking the stability of the hut wall, leaning on it as she fought to stop the shaking in her legs; she squeezed her eyes shut as she imagined what would come next. It would be painful, in more ways than one. Gally was not going to look out for her, he was upset and angry. This could very well be one of the worse nights of her life. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly; her legs felt like jelly. This was for the Glade, the greater good.

She opened her eyes, calming herself with the thought. Gally was just pulling off his other boot; he did not seem as perturbed, but she could tell he was still unsettled. He sat back up, his elbows propped up on his knees. Looking at the floor, Gally finally spoke up.

"Let's get this over with," He sounded dull.

His words pounded themselves into Eve's head and her heart began to beat again. Was he really feeling…bored? This had been his idea! Why did he sound so... disappointed all of a sudden? Eve let her breath out slowly, suddenly feeling spiteful.

"This was your idea, Gally," Her voice was level, but there was no mistaking the force behind it.

Gally raised his eyes without moving his head; he almost looked indifferent.

"Yes, it was. But I didn't think you'd choose me,"

"It was your idea! Didn't you have yourself in mind the whole time?" Eve fought to keep her voice quiet.

Gally raised an eyebrow, almost sarcastically.

"Why would I do that?"

Eve closed her eyes, breathing in and out slowly.

"You're… impossible,"

The blonde bristled, sitting up straighter now to face her directly, but Eve spoke again before he could respond.

"Why did insist on it so stubbornly if you were going to drag yourself through it?" She was hardly holding back her frustration now and Gally sensed it; his voice hardened.

"I never expected it to me, but now it is, so what's it to you?"

"That's not what you really think," Eve narrowed her eyes, her voice holding an edge. Gally scowled, waving her off.

"Why would I say it if I didn't mean it?"

Eve was growing tired of his sidestepping.

"Why can't you tell me what you're really thinking? You've hated me from the beginning! You have to force yourself to speak to me like a normal human being. I've done everything you've asked and more trying to please you, but I'm still not good enough for you! Why can't you just tell me what you really think of me?!"

Gally stood up; in the hut, he looked even taller and Eve felt like a shrimp in comparison, but she did not back down. He took a step closer to her, his eyes like flint, staring her down.

"If you thought I hated you, then why did you pick me?!"

Eve backed up into the wall, looking up at him as he closed in on her.

"What else was I supposed to do? You gave me the choice! I couldn't pick Alby, he doesn't answer to me and I'm not his responsibility! He takes care of the Gladers. Newt is just as tied to them as he is and I couldn't ask him to do it!" Eve was shaking again, confusion and fear causing her to become fierce. "Minho runs the Maze, he doesn't need anything else on top of that. You were the only other choice I had!"

"So you admit it! You didn't want to pick me! Why are you making such a big deal about it when you hate me?" Gally was nearly on top of her now and Eve had no more room to back up. She skirted around him and stood in the middle of the room, keeping a safe distance. Gally only watched her, standing still as if stalking his prey.

"It was your idea, you were the logical choice!"

"So what is the problem?! I'm the logical choice!" Gally turned around in the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. Eve nearly screamed, pressing her hands against her temples.

"Why is it so hard for you to speak your mind? Stop masking it with your big muscles and bitter exterior! You have a heart, don't you?"

Gally's eyes glimmered in the little light they had in the room.

"You can't expect me to believe you picked me because I'm the logical choice, you're not telling the truth! You're just as bad as I am, if not worse!"

Eve shut her eyes, she couldn't look at him anymore.

"I'm telling you, you were the logical choice! I had to pick you!"

"Had to?" Gally put emphasize on the words. "What about Fry Pan? You work with him! Winston? You've worked with him plenty of times, I've seen the way you two talk. You're friends! Hell, you talk to Jeff more than Clint does. You're close to all of them! You chose me for a reason, why?!"

"It was your idea!" Eve wouldn't open her eyes, shaking her head as her body screamed for her to get out, to get away from Gally.

The blonde moved in closer, pointing at her.

"How can you demand me to speak my mind, when you can't speak yours! You picked me, so that's that!"

Eve looked away, opening her eyes as tears started to fall down her cheeks. Gally rolled his eyes, throwing up his hands.

"So what, you're going to cry now? What will that do?"

Eve glared at him, her eyes bright with tears.

"Why did you bring all this up anyway? If the idea of being with me was so revolting, why did you suggest trying it?"

Gally bent down, pointing to nothing in particular.

"I was thinking of the future! I was thinking of the Glade! You were never supposed to pick me, you avoid me like the plague!"

Eve's eyes flared.

"How can I do that when I spend every day with you, working on that stupid tower? I can't get away from you! You're the closest person I have!"

Gally shook his head, anger forcing him to continue.

"You don't sit by me, you don't talk to me! You avoid me whenever you can outside of the project! How am I the closest person you have when you can't stand being around me?"

"You're not exactly the easiest person to talk to!" Eve was just jabbing at him now, but Gally didn't care; he prodded further.

"Neither is Ben! Have you ever tried to talk to him? Yes, you have!"

Eve shook her head, suddenly beginning to back down.

"You're not the same! It's not the same with you!"

Gally shook his head, unbelieving.

"Why?! Why am I so different? What makes me so horrible that you can't bring yourself to associate yourself with me after hours?"

Eve sniffed, her tears slowing down.

"I can't… I can't tell you… you wouldn't understand,"

"Why?" Gally did not catch on to the change in her voice. Eve ducked her head, wiping at her eyes. She didn't respond and Gally stood up straight. He was breathing heavily, in and out as he fought to become calm. He took one final breath before letting it out.

"Why?" He repeated his previous statement, his voice was quiet, although still forceful.

Eve shook her head.

"I can't…. you… deep down, you regret me,"

Gally kept staring at her.

"No, I don't,"

Eve meet his gaze, her eyes shining.

"Then why can't you tell me what you really think of me?"

The question stopped Gally in his tracks. He took a step back from her, walking backwards once more to sit on the sick bed. Eve stepped back against the wall, sniffing gently as she leaned against the wood.

Silence sat between them as their feelings quieted. Gally was wrestling, fighting with himself as he tried to find an answer. He met her gaze.

"I'll tell you what I really think of you if you tell me why you picked me," If he was going to open up, so was she. There was nothing free in the Glade.

Eve took a deep breath, seeming to have calmed down. Gally waited, staring at her with his hands clasped over his knees, looking intent. Eve turned her face away, she wiped them at a stray tear before she turned the other way, avoiding Gally's look. He sat waiting, determined not to get angry again. Eve dropped her head and sighed, finally looking up at Gally after she had reflected.

"I wanted to sit with you, to talk with you. But I couldn't shake the feeling that you despised me. I was a change in the Maze and I know how much you hate change. With this, it was different; I finally was of some use to you. I wanted… I wanted it to be you. I wanted to prove to you that I... I could help. I thought it was the only way I could stand up to your expectations," Her voice was a breath and Gally almost didn't catch what she said. But the impact of the words was inescapable. He sat back, shocked by her vulnerability with him.

Eve looked back at him, her turn to wait. He stood up, needing a moment to think. He wasn't exactly sure what he thought of her. He had regretted her at the beginning, of course, she had been a change, something different. But she had been useful and she had grown as normal as any other Glader to him.

But different.

It wasn't a bad feeling, but it was still new and he was not accustomed to it. All the times he had seen her talking to Jeff, Winston or even Newt, laughing and enjoying their company. It had driven him crazy, he could see it now. He had not been able to admit it to himself, much less anyone else. But now, he had to tell her. He walked, slowly, up to Eve, stopping just a foot from her. Eve watched him, her eyes searching as he looked at the floor before them. After a moment, he met her gaze, his eyes softening.

"I don't hate you. You were different, a girl among so many boys, it didn't make sense. I hated the change, the idea that something was different. But I didn't hate you,"

Eve cocked her head; Gally continued.

"I didn't want to accept you, it felt like they had won. They were throwing a curve ball at us and we just had to accept it; I hated it. But you did all you could, accomplishing more than a lot of us could say. This plan, this idea, the option before us, it was my idea because I was afraid. I was afraid this was it, that we would be here forever in the Maze. I couldn't bear the thought of us all dying here, to prove what? What was it all going to accomplish? This was the only way… I thought I could cope with it. It made sense that this was your purpose, the reason they had sent you up, it made sense! It felt so good for something to finally make sense. I know I can't prove it, but it's painful. Not being able to know anything for certain, this felt like it was a fact. I couldn't just let it go. I didn't think it was going to be me, I didn't think you would pick me. But…. I wanted it to be me. I wanted to do this, with you,"

Eve did not speak, she couldn't. This Gally, standing before her, was a different Gally. He was speaking from his heart, not with his muscles or with his head. This was the real Gally, the one who had a soul. There was a silence for some, but the blonde reiterated his final statement.

"I don't hate you… I don't think I could. I'm… sorry. I've been such a shank,"

Eve smiled, briefly, as she met his eyes.

"I wish I had known. You always seemed so repulsed… I'm sorry, I was so blind,"

Gally nodded, sniffing gently before looking away, his hands on his hips. Eve spoke up, suddenly curious.

"So why - ?" She didn't get much further. Gally could not drag it out any further and cleared the distance between them in a stride. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her, pressing his lips against her own. Eve's gentle cry was muffled as Gally leaned down to her, running his finger along her cheek. Eve melted into his touch and he ran his fingers down her face, neck, shoulders and wrapped his arms around her back; Eve leaned into his chest and met Gally stride for stride.

Gally hoisted her into the air; holding her above him as he sought at her lips, pulling lightly at her shirt. Eve wrapped her legs around his torso, combing her fingers through Gally's hair, leaning into his chest. The blonde took a step back at her sudden weight, pulling her closer as their breathing became heavier. Gally walked back to the sick bed, leaning forward to lay Eve down. He hovered over her, one knee on the bed and one on the floor, steadying himself. Tracing his lips along her chin, down her jawline and onto her neck, Gally revealed in the sound of Eve's small gasps. She still had her legs around his waist and moved her fingers through his thick, blonde hair. Bringing his other knee up onto the bed, Gally straddled Eve, peeling off his shirt before he leaned down into Eve, kissing her once again on her lips. Eve's eyes had alighted once she saw his bare chest and she brought her hands down to run them over the definition of his muscles and around to his back, pulling herself up to him as they kissed passionately.

Gally leaned away from her, holding himself up on his elbows, looking into her eyes as his chest heaved. Eve met his gaze, squirming underneath him, her hands gripping his shoulders.

"Eve?" His voice was hoarse with desire, but it was the first time, in the four months Eve had lived in the Glade, that Gally had ever used her name. She smiled up at her, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

"Yes, Gally?"

Gally searched her eyes for a moment.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Eve nodded, her eyes glowing in the dim light.

"I'm ready,"

He smiled, crookedly with apprehension. His eyes penetrated her own, looking over her face as if confirming that she was truly ready. Finally, he seemed satisfied and leaned back down to kiss her again. As he kissed her, he reached behind him, grasping for the unfolded blanket on the sick bed. He took hold of it and pulled it over them, resting completely overtop of her. She submitted willing to him and for the remainder of the night, the chill of the evening was lost on them as they soaked up each others warmth.

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 **Okay, so I just wanted to mention, I'm not writing any of their night, I'll let you fill it in. But the next chapter will centre on the morning after. Once again, thank you for reading and I should have the next chapter up in a few days. Cheers!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey all, I'm sorry for the delay in this chapter. I've been working on both this one and Return to Darkness, so it's been a bit all over the place. I always wanted to use this space to make a small announcement. I am going to be deleting my Lab Rats fanfiction. I lost the original document and unfortunately, I don't have a clear enough plan for an ending, so I am going to remove it and make room for a few other new ones. I will be restarting a Last Airbender story and another potential one that I won't name yet. Anyway, The Haunting will be deleted soon, thank you for reading that one and I'm sorry I'll never finish it. Enjoy this chapter!**

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Eve's eyes fluttered open, blurry from sleepiness. The light in the small room was dim, losing the battle against the darkness outside crowding in on them. It could not have been more than a few hours into the morning of a new day. She was lying her back, her legs bent at the knees, which were pointing to the wall. Gally's arm lay across her torso, his fingers brushing the bottom of her ribcage. The blonde was resting beside her, sprawled out on his stomach. His breathing was deep and his eyes were closed. Turning her head, Eve twisted her waist to look at him, watching the rise and fall of his bare back.

Only then did she begin to notice the pain.

It was not unbearable and not nearly as sharp as she remembered it being, but it was definitely noticeable. She grimaced, an achy, throbbing sensation emanating from between her legs. When she adjusted her hips, in a hope to ease the pain, she nearly cried out loud as the pain sharpened, her overworked muscles cramping in protest. Eve stretched her legs out flat, squeezing her eyes shut as the movement caused another bout of sharp pain. After she had laid still for a few minutes, the pain lessened, but the throbbing continued. She took a few steadying breathes, biting her tongue so as not to make any noise. Gally was still sleeping peacefully beside her and she hated the thought of waking him.

Eve smiled briefly as she looked back at the blonde, remembering how gentle he had been with her. Gally had been as careful as he could and she had been surprised how easy it had been to give herself up to him. He had behaved so differently with her, sweet and caring. It was an entirely new Gally and Eve could not help but berate herself. How could she have judged him so harshly? All he had needed was for someone to listen.

A gentle breeze shuttered across her exposed body, bringing her attention to something entirely different. The distinct, yet subtle, smell of sweat and dirt. She had never gotten the chance for her nightly bath and it was coming back to haunt her. Unfortunately, she could not imagine getting up now to do it. Easing her eyes, Eve took another deep breath, trying to relax her body enough to go back to sleep. The pain between her legs continued to throb and her lower back began to feel strained. Eve groaned and opened her eyes, she would have to find a more comfortable position. Slowly, she sat up, groaning inwardly as the ache deep within her reared sharply at her movement. She hiked her hip gently and turned on her side, squeezing her thighs together to still the aching. She curled up into a ball and tried to forget about her pain. A soft whimper escaped her lips.

"Mmm?"

Eve didn't open her eyes to the sound but felt the movement at her side. Gally's hand slide off her waist and his fingers brushed her cheek.

"What's wrong?" His voice was deep, sleepiness making it croaky. Eve burrowed her head into the pillow, the pain was beginning to wear off, but she afraid moving would set it off. After a few moments, Gally opened his eyes, his question left unanswered. He looked over Eve's face, noticing her body position and pained expression. Gently, he brushed his fingers against her cheek, sliding his hand down to wrap around her shoulder. He tried to pull her closer to him but she whimpered again. Confused, Gally propped himself up on his elbow, turning his body about to face her fully.

"What's wrong Eve?" He was beginning to worry at her silence.

Eve shook her head, pushing her face into the pillow. She whimpered again and Gally shifted closer to her, covering her back with his arm.

"Tell me," His gruff voice did not flow as smoothly as he would've liked. Eve turned her head to him, her eyes shining.

"It hurts,"

Gally raised an eyebrow, the new information did not register. Eve closed her eyes again, squeezing herself into a tighter ball.

"Inside, I don't feel right. It hurts…" She whimpered again and Gally finally clued in. Guilt passed over him like a wave; he had hurt her. Tenderly, pulled her closer, resting over her as she remained curled up. Running his fingers up and down her back gently, Gally lay his head on Eve's neck hoping that his warmth was of some comfort to her. She sniffed softly and took a few shaky breaths. Gally squeezed her shoulder muttering into her hair as he tried to soothe her.

"Shhh, just relax Eve. Just breath, what can I do?"

"I don't know," Her voice was high, desperate. The fear was unsettling and Gally lay down at her side again. He took her chin between his fingers and tilted her face, trying to catch her eye, which remained closed.

"Is there anything that I can get you? Jeff may have something in his stores for pain,"

Eve opened her eyes, sparkling with unshed tears.

"I don't want him to know," Her cheeks were red, her embarrassment seeming to outweigh her pain. Gally frowned, it was his fault she was in pain and it only seemed fair that he did all he could to ease it.

"I have to be able to get you something," His voice was becoming gruff.

Eve grimaced, a surpassed whimper causing her to squeeze her eyes shut again. Gally sat up, his hands hovering over his skin, scared to touch her as she squirmed under him. He had no experience with her situation and he was becoming nervous. Had he damaged her? Was she going to be able to walk again? He searched her face, flinching at every grimace she made.

"Water? Can I get you some water?" He was grasping at anything, his voice rising frantically.

Eve nodded, her eyes remaining closed. A shiver passed through her body and she relaxed, slightly.

"Please,"

Gally backed up from her, careful not to shift the bed too much under him. Standing up gingerly, he walked through the room, pulling the curtain aside. The morning was still early and it would be some time before the light would grow enough to mask the darkness. He looked to his left and his right, unsure of where he might find water. As a Builder, he didn't spend much time in the hut, unless he'd sustained an injury. The markings on the boxes and cupboards all looked the same to him. There was a small cup on a wooden ledge just at eye level and Gally grabbed it. The Med Jack's kept a small cooler of water in the hut for medical emergencies and cleaning wounds. It sat on the floor behind a larger box turned on its side, a makeshift cupboard. Surely they wouldn't mind if Eve drank some, right? Gally didn't put much stock into the worry and bent down to fill the cup up with the cold water. He carried it back into the small room, placing it on the ledge over the bed before he sat down on the sick bed. Eve had not moved but her face looked smooth, all signs of pain were gone. With a soft smile, he brushed a strand of hair out of her eye and she blinked at him. He handed her the cup and she gratefully raised her head to take a sip. The cold water suddenly made her realize how thirsty she exactly was and she emptied the cup in a matter of seconds.

Gally remained quiet as she finished, staring at the pillow.

"I'm sorry," His voice was hoarse.

Eve handed him the empty cup and lay her head back down.

"For what?"

Gally didn't meet her eye as he set the cub back on the ledge.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, I really didn't,"

Eve closed her eyes, sighing lightly. She reached out her hand and grabbed hold of his fingers. Gally's hard eyes didn't change and Eve shook her head.

"I know you didn't. I don't think we could have avoided this. It's… just the way it is… I guess,"

Gally rubbed his thumb on her finger, staring down at her hand. He didn't find much comfort in it. He had hoped the event would be painless for the both of them. It was never a part of the plan for Eve to suffer. He turned his gaze to her, his eyes wandering over her body.

"Do you feel anything?"

Eve opened one eye, glancing at him strangely. He ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck with a free hand. He gestured vaguely down to her stomach.

"Did it work?"

Eve smirked and shut her eye again.

"I don't think I'll be able to tell right away, it may take some time,"

Gally frowned, he didn't know what was supposed to happen. He understood the basics, but everything after was a blur to him.

"How long?"

Eve shook her head.

"I don't know, this is my first time,"

Gally shut his mouth, suddenly flustered. They were silent for some time, each with their own thoughts. Gally didn't move, merely resting his hand on her over her fingers, keeping them warm. Eve kept her eyes closed, her legs pulled up to her stomach. She did not grimace anymore and soon, she let her legs relax, breathing deeply as if she was asleep. Gally was about to lay down next to her when she stirred.

"Gally, will you help me with something?"

Gally leaned forward, eager to do all he could for her.

"What is it?"

Eve blinked open her eyes, smiling lightly at him.

"Will you help me get to the pond? I want to wash this dirt off me," Her tone was gentle, almost playful, but Gally couldn't help being concerned.

"Should you be moving right now? Won't it make it worse?"

Eve pushed herself up, slowly, onto her elbow. Gally took hold of her shoulder, worried she would hurt herself further. She brushed him off, sitting up so as to lean against the hut wall, facing Gally.

"I think it might help. The cold water could take away some of the pain,"

Gally frowned, unsure of the best route. It any other circumstance, he would ask one of the Med Jack's, but who knew where they were right now. Besides, Eve did not seem too keen on involving them at the moment. Finally, he made up his mind, his authoritative nature returning to him.

"I'll carry you down, but I'm not letting you walk,"

Eve nodded, agreeing only to ensure his help. She crawled crab style to the edge of the bed while Gally pulled his shirt back over his head. Gently, he took her up in his arms, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. The stretch to her middle cost her another throbbing ache and she stifled a scream in her fist. Gally lay one of his hands over her head and the other around her low back and stood still until Eve relaxed in his arms. Slowly, he walked out of the hut and across the shadowy, shrouded Glade. The sky was slate grey, with a touch of white in the corners, the new morning light was slowly picking up the pace to start the day. Gally slowed to a stop beside the pond and let Eve take the bar of soap he had been carrying. A rough towel hung over his shoulder. Eve squirmed in his arms.

"Thank you, I can take it from here,"

"Are you sure?" Gally hesitated before kneeling down to let her sit on the ground, just before the water's edge. She stood up on her knees for a moment, taking a few deep breaths.

"I'll be fine, I promise. Just watch for out for anyone,"

Gally nodded and turned away, allowing her to have a moment of privacy. It was hardly needed now, but he respected her wishes and wasn't about to push her. Eve took off her shirt and shorts, standing up only to slide into the water. The chill made her shiver, but she had been right. The cold water dulled the pain and calmed the red-hot inflammation around her legs. She closed her eyes and rubbed the bar of soap around her shoulders, chest, stomach and down her legs. It felt marvellous to be clean again, but she could not help but feel like she was still dirty.

They had had little choice in the matter, but she was not married to Gally and somehow, the thought did not make her feel better. But they were trying to escape and in some, twisted way, this could be part of the puzzle. She sincerely hoped it was not, but they could not turn back now. In the end, it would only answer the question one way or the other. Whoever put her here had to have had something in mind, right? It may take a few months, but she could already be with child. She brushed her fingertips along her stomach, the thought one of mixed feelings for her. It would be her child, her's and Gally's. Hopefully, the child would understand why they had to try, why they had to bring them into this cruel, dissolute world.

It was something they had to try.

After a few more moments, Eve crawled back onto the shore, her legs feeling stiff and heavy. Gally had left the towel on the shore for her and she wrapped it around her shivering frame, glad for the comfort. Gally saw her emerge from the water and came running, kneeling beside her, encircling her in his arms to help her warm up.

"Did it help?"

Eve nodded, burying her nose into the towel.

"It did, I think I'm ready to get back to bed,"

Gally smiled, the first since he had woken up. Relief flooded through him, Eve was going to be fine. He had not damaged her. Silently, Gally hefted her up, towel and all, bridal style, and carried her back into the hut. Eve wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs too stiff to curl around his waist. Once they had returned to the little room, he let her change before he reentered the small space. He lay down on his back on the bed, beckoning Eve to him as she crawled in beside him. She lay her head on his chest, pulling the small sick bed blanket up to her chin. Gally's arm wrapped protectively around her back and he kissed her firmly on the forehead, his eyes closing. The sound of her contented sighs caused him to relax and the two soon fell asleep.

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 **The next few chapters will be up next week at some point. The story is a little slow after this scene because I'm juggling a few ideas back and forth. I hope to get a clear view of it soon. Once again, thank you for reading and please leave a review! I love to hear your thoughts on the story so far!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi all, I'm sorry about the delay. I notice that the last few chapters have been really popular, I hope you guys are enjoying Gally and Eve's relationship. Thank you all for taking the time to read it. Feel free to leave a review and thank you for all those who have, I love reading them!**

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The morning came as it always did. The warmth of the sun soaked into the earth, chasing away the chill of the night. Steam rose off the rocks and the dew dripped off the leaves. The Glader's began to stir, waking up for breakfast earlier than normal. They were eager to get back to work after so many days of worry and a sense of expectation hung in the air.

Everyone knew by now that Gally had spent the night with Eve in the Med Jack hut. Alby prowled amongst them as they ate breakfast and any negative word on the subject was instantly met with punishment. He knew how nervous Eve would be to interact with the Glader's after last night and he would not tolerate them looking at her any differently. Minho and Ben left soon after the morning meal into the Maze, the black-haired Runner was close to a breakthrough on the Maze changes and he was eager to determine if he could crack the code. Alby wished him good running and watched them until they disappeared.

Jeff and Clint, as their hut was occupied, busied themselves assisting Fry Pan with clean up. Jeff waved to Alby as he passed them, on his way to the garden. He had promised Newt he would help him and Zart with another set of stalks for the zucchini vines. The garden was growing and his second in command was appreciative of all the help he could get. The lanky boy had his head in a tomato plant when Alby approached and smiled through the leaves at him. Zart was a little further down the row, fiddling with some twine for the new stalks.

"Morning," Newt's voice was cheery, looking up through the tomatoes.

Alby smiled at him, kneeling in the grass. Newt backed out of the plant and rubbed his hands on his shorts, sniffing as he inspected the vegetables. After a moment, he glanced over Alby's shoulder, to the hut.

"No word?"

Alby shook his head, eyeing the plants before him.

"I suspect Gally is waiting until everyone is otherwise involved,"

Newt nodded, his smile understanding.

"I can't imagine how he's going to handle this one,"

Alby tipped his head, chuckling lightly.

"He may be more irritable, especially if the boys start asking questions. I expect he'll set them right; I wouldn't worry about him,"

Newt nodded sympathetically, he knew Alby meant Eve.

"She must be feeling pretty vulnerable," He stopped to think for a moment, looking back up to Alby. "Do you think it will work?"

Alby shrugged, reaching forward to pull a stray weed from between two stalks of the tomato plants.

"I can't say. Eve will be able to answer that,"

Newt nodded, not exactly sure how to phrase his next question.

"If it doesn't… are you… are they going to.. try again?"

Alby didn't respond right away, musing himself with finding more weeds to pick. He leaned back after a moment and scratched his chin.

"I think that will be up to them. If they are willing, I will allow it. But only time will tell. Eve may not be fertile. I can not imagine she will want to exhaust the option,"

Newt sniffed, content with the answer. He could not imagine Gally wanting to do it all over again; the blonde had seemed very agitated last night. Alby shook his head, pushing off his knees to stand, a smile on his face.

"How about those vines?"

* * *

"Eve, c'mon, no one is going to stare,"

Eve was sitting on the edge of the sick bed, fully clothed and sulking. The pain from earlier that morning had dulled considerable and she had convinced Gally was she was well enough to walk. It was only after he agreed that she realized that leaving the hut would be the same as walking outside naked. Everyone knew what had gone on between them and there was no doubt going to be countless questions, stares and judgement from the Glader's. She was not sure if she wanted to face it after all.

Gally stood in front of her, arms folded across his chest. He was frustrated, but he could not fully take on his old way of thinking. He knew Eve, knew her better than anyone now and he couldn't help feeling nervous himself. The boys were going to be looking at him, wondering how it went, wondering if he had… been enough. But it was different for him, he could beat up anyone who dared judge him for it. Eve could not, she was vulnerable. There was no way she would be able to stand up to the boys if one of them gave her a hard time. That was why he was determined to knock anyone one out cold if they so much as looked at her the wrong way.

Gally bent down next to her, taking her hands in his as he looked at her. Eve's head was bent and she would not look up..

"No one is going to hurt you, I promise,"

Eve squirmed, discomfort painted on her face.

"How am I ever going to be able to talk to anyone again? They all know, they'll never see me the same,"

Gally shook his head, trying to console her.

"Alby's already talked to them. You know if they do give you a hard time, they'll regret it, right? Besides, everyone will be looking at me the same way. You aren't alone,"

He stroked her arm gently with a finger and she finally looked up at him.

"Are you sure? Alby wouldn't punish them for just a comment, would he?"

Gally shrugged, his eyes hardening.

"If he doesn't, then I will. They know this was done for them. If they don't appreciate your sacrifice, then they're shucking idiots,"

Eve smiled, a tint of relief shining on her cheeks. Gally smirked at her and pulled her up beside him. Still a little wary of her pain, he held her arm as she took a few steps forward and then let go. Gently, he pushed her forward and followed close behind out of the hut.

The bright sunlight caused them to squint as they stepped out into the Glade and Eve stopped dead at the sight of Clint and Jeff standing not far off. Gally stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm here," He whispered into her ear, his chin on her head.

The Med Jacks caught sight of the two and started walking toward them. Eve tensed as they closed in, but Gally only stared, determined to protect her. Clint, ahead of the two, nodded courteously to the two and Jeff smiled amiably, his face full of cheer.

"Good morning,"

Eve smiled and Gally spoke up for the both of them.

"Good morning. Thank you for the hut,"

Clint smiled back and Jeff turned to Eve, taking a small bow.

"We should be thanking you. We know this wasn't easy for either of you, but I hope you know we appreciate you doing all you can to help us,"

Eve bowed her head, feeling dizzy. Was Jeff really thanking her? There was no odd stare and no judgemental glance, only understanding. She smiled softly, starting to feel more confident. Jeff waved cheerfully and the two Med Jack's stepped back into the hut, ready to prepare for the day of complaints and injuries.

Gally squeezed Eve's shoulder and walked out ahead of her.

"See? I told you. Now come on, you should eat something,"

Eve nodded, still in a daze. She followed Gally toward the kitchen hut.

"Are we going to work on the next level for the tower today?"

Gally glanced back at her, raising an eyebrow as if she was crazy.

"You think I'm gonna let you climb trees? You need to be careful, at least until we know for sure if this worked,"

Eve frowned, suddenly aware of how useless she was going to be if she became pregnant. How was she supposed to pull her weight around the Glade and earn her keep?

Gally stepped into the kitchen hut, allowing her a minute to think it over. He reappeared shortly, carrying two bowls of porridge. Nodding his forehead, he guided Eve toward a stray stump and had her sit down. She looked up at him, concern alighting in her eyes.

"Am I going to be useless now?"

Gally handed her one of the bowls and began plowing into his own, his hunger only just beginning to rear its head. He hadn't admitted it yet, but he was more worn out then he had originally anticipated. Aware of Eve still looking up at him, her food untouched, Gally swallowed a large bit before responding.

"We already knew you would have to give up anything strenuous. But there is still plenty you can do. We're gonna have to start on floorboards soon and we'll be using logs for that; no need for anyone to climb. I wouldn't trust that shank Winston in the trees. You can do the sanding while Winston and I size the logs down,"

Eve dropped her eyes, staring into her porridge. Gally rolled his eyes, irritated by Eve's overacting and unneeded worry. He sat down on the ground next to her, continuing to eat his breakfast.

"The Box is coming up tomorrow. I'm sure we'll get another lanky shank to climb the trees. Newt would do it, you know if he didn't have such a shucked up leg. But we'll manage, we adapt," Gally surprised himself as he quoted one of Alby's favourite phrase. Was it the new sense of protectiveness he felt for Eve that made him so understanding? Normally, he would be frustrated and short with her, but he couldn't bring himself to speak harshly, not anymore.

Eve picked up her spoon, finally digging into her meal.

"I hope I'm not going to be a burden if I do become pregnant,"

Gally didn't respond, looking over the Glade as he finished his breakfast. He could see Alby, Newt and Zart in the garden. Fry Pan had been in the kitchen hut and Winston was no doubt out behind it, slaughtering who knew what. Minho and Ben were already gone into the Maze and the Med Jack's had made their appearance. There was no one else to deal with. Licking his spoon clean, Gally stood up. A flood of sympathy followed him up and he turned back to Eve, a frown on his face. Walking up to her, he leaned down to kiss her head, gently, resting his chin on her for a moment.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of you, I promise,"

Eve relaxed and he stood straight, allowing her to rest her head on his stomach for a moment. She turned her face into him.

"Thank you," Her voice was muffled but Gally heard. He smiled and let go, softly, pointing down at her bowl.

"Finish up, don't skimp on anything. I'm going to talk to Alby,"

Eve took another bite and nodded understandingly. He gave her one last smile and left his bowl beside her, striding across the Glade toward the gardens. Alby looked up as he approached. The Glade leader opened his mouth to speak but closed it. He would need a report from the blonde, but was unsure of how to initiate the conversation. It irritated him; he hated letting emotions get in the way of what needed to be done. Setting his mouth in a line, he nodded to the Builder and Gally nodded back, crossing his arms over his chest. The Keeper did not let such trivial details get in the way of starting off and his abruptness surprised Alby.

"I suspect you're going to relieve Eve of any more tree climbing?" His voice was firm, expectant and Alby couldn't help but crack a smile.

Gally was still Gally.

"Of course, she won't be asked to do more than she can. Jeff and Clint will check up on her weekly,"

Gally nodded, looking down at his foot. Newt had heard them talking and joined in the huddle. He smiled at Gally, nodding to him as the blonde nodded back. There was an awkward silence before Gally spoke up again.

"This is going to be a change,"

Alby nodded, rubbing his chin with his thumb.

"We'll adapt. If it doesn't work, we'll at least know we tried,"

Gally, his hands on his hips, chewed on his bottom lip.

"I'll pound anyone who bothers Eve," His statement was so blunt that Alby raised an eyebrow and Newt's eyes widened.

"Take it easy Gally, the bloody shanks already know Alby'll whip them into shape if they do. There's nothing to worry about,"

Gally scowled and turned to the side, puffing out his chest.

"I'm just letting you know,"

Alby nodded, holding back a smirk. It seemed that Gally had changed overnight. He was still irritable, short-tempered and easily angered, but never before had they seen him so earnest. He was going to protect Eve no matter what. It was just as well, if they were to have a child together, he would have to father the offspring. Alby tipped his chin to the blonde.

"You'll be getting back to the tower today? Winston mentioned he was available to assist until the evening meal,"

Gally looked back, his face expressionless.

"I'll take him on, we'll be chopping down a few of the smaller trees. I have to start on some planks for the floor,"

Alby nodded his approval of the plan.

"If Eve is feeling up to it, let her help in the garden today. Newt, if you don't mind, I'll let her take my place. I need to check the stores. We'll have a new arrival tomorrow and the supplies are low,"

Newt waved him off, their previous arrangement forgotten.

"Suits me fine," Gally gave him a look and Newt put his hands up. "I'll let her go at her own pace, nothing too demanding,"

The blonde did not respond as he turned away. Newt let out a whistle as Gally walked out of earshot.

"A little bloody touchy this morning,"

Alby shook his head, his hands on his hips, chuckling despite himself.

"He's going to take her safety pretty seriously. Best not to get in his way, I wouldn't have him acting any way with her," He looked up to his second in command. "Take good care of her, she's in a delicate state right now,"

Newt nodded, smiling understandingly.

"Good that," And he meant it.

* * *

After Eve had finished off her meal, she wandered over to the gardens. Gally had briefed her on the arrangement with Newt but warned her not to overwork herself. She thanked him, not fully knowing how to really thank him as he had done so much for her. A small kiss on his cheek sufficed for the moment and the two parted ways. Feeling relieved and content with the finished breakfast, Eve took a deep breath. She almost believed she was feeling better than she had before this whole ordeal even began and a small smile graced her features as she stopped just short of the garden. She could do this, no one was going to bring her down, she had done it all for the Glade.

Newt stood behind the vines, just out of view, frowning as he worked. Eve cleared her throat and the lanky second tilted his head back, smiling when he caught sight of her. He stepped away from the greens and approached her, careful not to come too close. His eyes were searching, but not intense.

"How are you feeling?" Newt's voice was gentle. He understood that she was in a delicate state. If she had chosen differently, it would have been him in the hut with her last night and thinking back, he did not know if he could handle it all as well as Gally seemed to. Something had happened between the two and Newt was pleased that the girl had finally broken through the blonde's rough exterior.

Eve ducked her head, feeling a blush creep along her cheeks. She knew Newt's intentions were pure, but she could not help but feel flustered. How was she supposed to answer his question without being too detailed? She looked back up at him, feeling her cheeks growing warmer.

"I'm alright, just a little sore, I guess," her voice trailed off and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looking down at some cucumbers.

Newt looked away as well, the smile turning into an uncomfortable line. He knew, more or less, what she was alluding too. Taking a minute to clear his throat, Newt looked back at her and smiled, shaking away the discomfort. Gesturing with his hand, he pointed back to where Zart stood among some ravels of twine.

"Zart and I are putting up some new stalks for a few more zucchini plants, the seeds haven't been used yet. Did you want to plant them? I'm going to size the wood with Zart, we'll set up the stalks around the seeds when you're done, I don't think it will take too long,"

Eve agreed, looking around Newt to wave to Zart. The light blonde smiled at her but something about his movement made him look nervous and Eve dropped her hand. Newt shrugged and smiled at her when she looked back.

"It's alright, I promise,"

Eve nodded, taking a deep breath.

"I can do it,"

Newt smiled and beckoned her to follow him. Zart was just finishing off some twine, twisting it apart to make for easier tying. He made room for Eve and Newt as the second in command instructed her on where to plant the seeds and how deep to make the holes. A small packet sat in the dirt and Eve set to work, eager to help as much as she could. Newt made sure she was comfortable, even offering to find something to give her shade.

"You're sure you're not going to get too warm? It's bloody hot today,"

Eve shook her head, digging out a small divot in the ground before her.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about it," she smiled up at him and he stood for a moment, undecided. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned around to begin his part of the project. Eve looked back down at the dirt, counting out the spaces she would need to for each seed. The last thing she wanted was to be treated differently, to be accommodated for it. That was the sort of behaviour that was going to get her stares and judgemental comments. The boys were never given special treatment and she wouldn't be comfortable if she was given something they were not. Looking up, Eve squinted into the sun, the rays stinging her eyes. It was warm, to be sure, but there was no chance of it getting too hot. Besides, Newt had already told her that it would not take long to finish the job.

After several minutes of silent working, Eve began to let her thoughts wander. At first, it was nothing in particular, but the thoughts became more and more directed.

Her purpose in the Glade.

It was undetermined still, but they had ventured further with it. Whoever had sent her here, a girl among all these boys must have meant something by it. It was twisted, playing with them as if they were test rats. But had they really meant her for this? To raise a new generation? It didn't make sense, but neither did the Maze and neither did their entire existence in the Glade. If that had not been it, what had it been?

Was it all a mistake?

Eve frowned, wiping away a stream of sweat from her forehead. Another four seeds had been planted and she started on the next row.

Could that be it? Was she only a mistake? She remembered the early days of her arrival in the Glade. She had been scared, terrified, alone. It had crossed her mind several times. It had made sense to her, she was the only girl among all these boys. Obviously, it had just been a slip of whoever was in charge, something they had not planned for. But now that time had passed, months upon months, more questions had come to her. If she had been a mistake, why was she still here? Wouldn't they have attempted to take it back? Somehow take her back? Kill her off?

She swallowed, pushing dirt aside with her fingers. Would that be all it took? Would they just kill her off? How would they do it? Everything she came up with didn't make much sense if they were as indirect as she had always believed them to be. How could they play a part in anyone's death? Besides, Hank's death had been natural, no one had directed it. He had been stung by a Griever and there was no way she was going to be in the Maze. She could've fallen from a tree, smashed her head in and died of brain damage, but they couldn't dictate that. Could they? It never rained in the Glade, did that mean they could control the weather? Could they have sent a thunderstorm in, blasting a tree with lightning, causing her to fall to her death?

That was ridiculous!

Was it getting hotter?

Eve pulled at her shirt collar. Even though it was a low cut, she still felt like it was choking her. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath. She was overworking herself, thinking too much. She needed to let it go and focus on the task at hand. Her legs were beginning the cramp, the pain from that morning was coming back to her. Sitting up, Eve readjusted and crouched down again, digging up the next hole.

More sweat, more cramping, more pain.

She ignored it, filling the hole with a few of the tiny, flat white seed. The packet was still full, but Newt had told her they only needed half. She only needed ten or twelve more holes, so she started digging. Her fingernails were full of dirt and her hands were beginning to shake. Sweat dripped from her nose and onto the ground, disappearing into the earth. Eve stopped again, taking a deep breath, closing her eyes.

Stop it! You're working yourself up over nothing.

Tears stung her eyes as she thought it over. She didn't know one way or the other. It was either to be a vessel for a new life or she was simply a mistake. Was that her only purpose?

Eve sat up, all thought to the seeds lost. She only stared ahead, into the leaves, her vision blurry as tears filled her eyes. Was she just a throwaway?

"No… no, you're not," her voices chocked, full of tears. She bent down, digging into the earth with trembling fingers, another divot and a few more seeds. On to the next hole, tears mixed with the dirt, a paste began to form. Eve kept going, digging another divot and another. The sun beat down on her head, making her dizzy; her scalp burning and her back was drenched with sweat. The packet of seeds was nearing the halfway point and she pushed on. Tears were streaming down her cheeks now and she wished she could stop it. Why are you crying? There's no reason to cry!

"You're not a mistake!" She whispered to herself, wishing herself to believe it. "You're not a mistake, you… you are… a mistake,"

Eve stopped, her hands curling into fists. Her body racked with sobs, the feelings and emotions from the past two days finally boiled over and she cried. She was a mistake, they had made a mistake. Thrown her in by accident. She wasn't meant to be a mother to the Glade, she wasn't meant to help them, she couldn't. She was just a mistake. Eve bent down in the dirt, covering her head with her hands, curling into a ball, wishing the burning would stop. Her legs ached and pain stabbed at her, her insides massacred. Sweat mingled with her tears and burned their way down her face, only adding to the heat that threatened to overwhelm her.

"I'm a mistake," Her voice was ragged and she only cried harder at the sound. That was all she was, someone else's mistake.

"Eve! Eve, are you alright?" Newt's voice rang in her ears and a hand rested on her low back; Newt was just above her. "What's wrong?" His hand disappeared and he grabbed her arm. "Eve, you're bloody burning up," Eve didn't respond, she was struggling for breath, her pain was choking her. Newt pulled her up, holding her wrists as he looked over her face. Gently, he took hold of her chin, looking into her eyes. Eve tried to shake him off, still in tears.

"I'm a mistake!"

Newt, his eyes ablaze with concern, didn't engage with her ramblings. He turned around to Zart, who stood close by, his eyes wide.

"Get to the Med Jack hut, bring Clint! Somethings wrong with her, hurry up, you shank!"

Zart did as he was told and turned on his heel, moving so quickly that it made Eve's head spin. She had stopped crying, but she was shaking, uncontrollably. The pain within her squeezed at her stomach and she bent over, retching as the breakfast from earlier that morning came back up. Newt lay his hand on her back, helpless to do much else.

"I knew you needed the shade. Are you sick?"

Eve shook her head, gasping for breath, her arms out to support her.

"Where is the bloody Med Jack?" Newt yelled over his shoulder, knowing that no one was listening. "Gally is going to have my hide, do you know that? What did you do to yourself?"

Eve squirmed, laying her head on the ground, breathing heavily, sweat stinging her eyes. What had she done?

"I'm a mistake…," Her voice was raspy and Newt frowned at her.

"What in bloody hell are you talking about?"

Eve couldn't answer, she would only start crying again. What had happened to her? She had been completely fine that morning, what had changed? Was this what pregnancy felt like? Surely it was too early for that!

The sound of feet hitting the ground made her stiffen, Zart was coming back. Eve let her body collapse into the dirt, the heat burning its way into her head. The heavy pounding vibrated through her head and the light dulled, shrinking as her vision diminished. Before she knew what was going on, Eve fell under, unconscious.

* * *

 **Hey, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I am updating this section to say that I will have more chapters coming, they just will not be as steady as they have been. I'm in the middle of a final class in my post-secondary program and I am balancing several other projects with school. So, I promise, there will be more to come, but just keep in mind that it won't be as regular. Thank you for the reviews, I love seeing them! I hope to have the next chapter up in a week or so**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello all, I am so sorry about the delay in getting this up. I lost track of where I wanted the story to go and hit a little bit of a lull. I hope the wait wasn't too long and I promise there will be more to come. Enjoy this next chapter**

* * *

"It was heat exhaustion, not enough water in her system to counteract the heat of the day. She'll recover in a few days; she's going to be fine," Clint spoke authoritatively, his audience demanded the assurance.

Alby, Newt and Gally were crowded into the Med Jack hut, leaning in together as it was a tight fit. Eve lay on the larger of the two sick beds, her eyes closed in unconsciousness, her head falling to one side. Zart and Newt had carried her into the Med Jack hut. While listening to Newt's explanation of Eve's behaviour, Clint had checked her over and determined her vitals were stable. Jeff had set down a layer of ice between a sheet before laying Eve onto the bed. Steam rose off of her now, her shoulders, back, arms and legs beet red. A fair touch of sunburn, heat exhaustion, nothing more.

Gally was frustrated, upset and angry, his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth and his eyes staring down the skinny second. Alby stood between him and Newt, separating them from any physical fight. Unfortunately, it did not stop the blonde from throwing fire.

"What in the hell were you thinking Newt? Why'd you let her work in the heat? She's not used to that, she's always in the trees!" Gally stood sideways, leaning around Alby, his hands on his hips, eyes flaring. Newt put up his hands in surrender, not one to get overly animated, no matter the circumstance and this was no different.

"She insisted she was fine-,"

Gally was almost sarcastic as he gestured toward Eve.

"She doesn't look fine to me!"

Newt rolled his eyes.

"I didn't know she was going to bloody explode!" His words were calm, but he was clearly agitated at the situation

Alby pushed Gally back, blocking his view of Newt.

"This is no one's fault, Gally," He made sure the Builder was listening to him before he continued. "Eve will recover, she just needs some rest," Alby broke off his speech to frown at Eve. "I should have seen this coming,"

Gally glared at Alby, his mouth in a tight frown again.

"Seen what coming?"

Alby shook his head before responding.

"It's been a rough couple of days for her. Newt, you said she was talking about something, what did she say?"

Newt shrugged, frowning slightly.

"She said something about being a mistake. She was pretty upset, the heat wasn't helping. I think she wore herself out,"

Gally threw his hands up and nodded his head.

"This is why she shouldn't have been working in the first place! She's been in pain since she woke up!"

Alby raised an eyebrow at the blonde; Gally was too upset to tiptoe around the details of the night before.

"This was her first time, she's never done anything like this before, it hurt her!" He pointed a finger at the girl. "I don't think she should be working until she's completely healed!"

Alby waved him off, trying to understand.

"She sounded fine this morning, what are you talking about?"

Gally groaned and rolled his eyes.

"I just told you! I hurt her, she's hurt! She-," He stopped, suddenly unwilling to divulge. He frowned, hands on his hips. "I'm not gonna give you the shucking details, but it wasn't easy for her to take me,"

Clint's cheeks turned red and Newt looked at the ground. Although Alby could feel discomfort pricking at his face, questioned further.

"So she's wounded?"

Gally juggled his hands back and forth, struggling with how much he was willing to share with the rest.

"Yes, in a way," Gally took a deep breath, he was losing some of his anger. His new, sympathetic tone surprised the others as he continued. "She's not herself right now. This is all too new. There's a lot of pressure on her right now, she was probably over thinking; she does that, you know? She over thinks things, gets herself all upset. She's emotional and this isn't easy for her, it's a lot to handle. She's going to be a mother, potentially. And in a place like this? She doesn't know how it'll all work, neither do any of us. Have you ever delivered a shucking child?" He directed his question to the two Med Jacks, staring at them intently for an answer.

Silence met his words and he grunted. With nothing else to say, he stepped up to Eve, looking down at her, breathing in and out as he became calm. Turning back to the others, he pointed down to her.

"She shouldn't have to carry all of that and work herself to death,"

Alby stared at the ground, chewing on his thumbnail. He knew Gally had a good point, he could not allow Eve to become sick from overwork and stress. But he couldn't simply allow Eve to do nothing in the meantime. There was no guarantee she would become pregnant and the special treatment would not go over well with the Glader's. Everyone had to pull their weight, one way or another.

Clint spoke up, his gentle voice a nice change of pace.

"Eve could help out in here,"

Alby looked up at the Med Jack, his brow furrowed. Clint continued; Jeff, behind him, nodded his head in agreement.

"Eve is compassionate, we've seen it. She can help with odd jobs in here, sorting the supplies, keep the place clean. Do the little things so Jeff and I can focus on the bigger tasks. I'm sure she could even learn along the way, it can't hurt to have a third Med Jack for a while. At least until we know for sure… if she's pregnant or not. It will allow us to keep an eye on her,"

Alby folded his arms over his chest, thinking it over. Newt was nodding his head, seeming to agree with the Med Jacks. Gally was watching Alby, waiting for some sort of decision he could argue with. Finally, Alby nodded his head, coming to terms with the new settlement.

"It will work for the time being." His voice was decisive, his words final. Gally didn't seem to agree and he flared up again.

"The time being? Are you gonna throw her back out there? You can't!"

"I have to do something, Gally!" Abby finally turned to the blonde, his patience had run out. "Everyone has to do what they can in the Glade. I understand Eve's situation right now, but she must do her part. Until we can confirm she that she is pregnant, she has to do all she can for us in the meantime. If I bend the rules for her, then I have to everyone else. This is the way it is. Minho risks his life every day in the Maze for us,"

Gally opened and closed his mouth. He knew the rules better than most, but he hated how torn he was feeling. If it was any other shank, he would not be arguing. But this was Eve, he was responsible for her pain. This was his fault; he realized now how he had pushed the idea without fully understanding what he had set her up for. She was vulnerable, weak and working herself up in an attempt to cope.

But Alby was right, she had to pull her weight. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, frowning as he stood still.

"Give her a month in the hut. You'll know for sure by then right?"

Clint put up his hands.

"I can't say, but I would assume there would be signs by then,"

Gally nodded his head and looked back to Alby.

"If she isn't pregnant by the time the Box comes up next month, then I'll take her back on my team. I'll have her work on the tower,"

Alby stared hard at Gally, focusing on his words. Newt spoke up.

"I think that's fair. She'll be working with Clint and Jeff. These shanks won't let her help go to waste. It's a bloody sty in here when the day's done,"

Jeff gave Newt a look of sarcastic slight and smiles brightened up the little space. Alby nodded to his second and tilted his chin to Gally.

"She will be a Med Jack for the month,"

Gally let out a deep breath.

"Thank you, Alby,"

Alby acknowledged him with a small nod. Secretly, he was impressed with the change in Gally, he would never have imagined that the irritable builder would turn into this motivated protector. It had been his idea initially, but he seemed to genuinely want to take care of Eve now. That was all he could ask for, the Glader's taking care of their own.

* * *

Eve opened her eyes, a strange sensation crawling over her skin. She felt very warm as she fluttered her eyelids, trying to clear her vision. The burning sunlight was gone and her surroundings had changed. A soft dim light cascaded over her, gentle and comforting after the blazing sun rays. Frowning, she tried to push herself up onto her elbows, grimacing painfully as she felt the sensation increase in intensity. Her skin was burning up, pulsing from heat, scraping against whatever it was she lay upon. Nonetheless, she continued to pull herself into a lazy sitting position, blinking her eyes again to focus.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on," A husky voice sounded on her left and a gentle hand came to rest on her hand; a small sting crawled up her arm from the contact. She turned her head in the direction of the sound.

Gally?

Recognition, relief flooded through her. The big blonde sat beside her, leaning forward on his knees, his face full of concern. His dark eyes met hers, searching them as if for something. Eve frowned softly, suddenly aware that she could not remember why her surroundings had changed.

"Where am I?"

Gally smiled, briefly and continued to search her eyes.

"Where else? The Med Jack hut. You passed out in the garden," His tone, although soft, had an edge to it. Something had upset him and it did little to clear Eve's confusion. She furrowed her brow, sliding down slightly as her arms began to tire.

"I did? Why?"

Gally frowned, almost angrily, like he always did when he didn't get a direct answer. His next words were still gentle, but accusation and frustration lined the edges.

"You overheated. You overworked yourself. I told you that you had to be careful. Newt offered you shade, you should have taken it. What were you thinking?" Although Gally was frustrated, Eve could tell that he was not as angry as he once would be. His tone was not as accusing and his face did not look mocking or sarcastic.

On top of these thoughts, Eve's head swam with confusion; she couldn't remember to what Gally was referring to. She knew there had been sunlight, dirt in her fingernails, tiny holes in the ground... a seed packet? Newt and Zart were working on new zucchini stalks. The sun... the sun had been hot. Suddenly, the memory of her thoughts and feelings flooded over her and she covered her mouth with a hand, laying her head back on the bed as she started to tremble.

"I… I passed out?" She mumbled around her hand, her cheeks even redder now with embarrassment.

Gally nodded, leaning toward her as she sunk away from him. He rested his forearms on the bed beside her, clasping his hands in a tight ball. He sat on a small stool next to the sick bed. He could not feel angry at her, he just couldn't. He wanted to comfort her, take her in his arms and hold her, but he knew he should not. Eve's skin was blistering and shining with redness, any touch from him would only make it worse. Gally stared at his hands, trying to get a handle on his emotions, longing to understand.

"What happened to you, Eve?" His voice trembled slightly.

Eve covered her face with both hands, shaking her head slowly.

"No… oh no. No Gally, I didn't… I didn't mean to. I was working, I was planting the seeds. It was hot. I didn't mean it, I just wanted to help!" Her voice choked and Gally bit his lip, forcing his hands to stay where they were, even though his heart was screaming at him to pull Eve to his chest, kiss her head and hold her close. Gritting his teeth, he continued to discern the answer from her.

"It was hot, Eve! Why did you refuse the cover?"

Eve shook her head, covering her eyes so as to avoid his gaze.

"It didn't feel that hot, honestly! I've worked in the garden before, on hotter days. This has never happened before. No, no… Gally, no. I didn't mean it, I didn't want to cause trouble, I was just trying to help,"

Gally leaned away, the urge to touch her too much for him. He ducked his head, scratching his forehead to avoid looking at Eve.

"Maybe it's never happened before, but it's happened now. You have to be more careful," He sat forward again, insisting on an answer. "What were you doing? Why were you so upset?"

Eve allowed her hands to move off her face, dropping them to her sides, but she looked straight ahead, refusing to meet his stare.

"I… I was thinking...,"

Gally stared at her, arching his eyebrow.

"About what?"

Eve bit her lower lip and tilted her head toward him.

"I was thinking about why I was sent here,"

Gally frowned; this had not been the answer he was expecting.

"Why?" His voice was unintentionally harsh, but Eve did not seem to care. She stared at him, her eyes shining, bright against the rest of her skin.

"Why not?"

Gally shook his head, becoming like his old self, the straightforward, no-nonsense Keeper of the Builders.

"Because there's no point. We don't know why and there's nothing else to it. There's no good guessing at it and driving yourself crazy. There are too many possibilities," He crossed his arms over his chest and sat back.

Eve groaned at his bluntness and pushed herself up onto her elbows again. She felt a cool wetness under her fingers and realized that ice had been placed underneath her; it was melted now. She looked down at her legs; red and tender. She had burned up, quite badly from the looks of it. She groaned again and turned to Gally.

"I couldn't help it!" Her voice rose pitifully.

Gally uncrossed his arms and shook her head.

"That's your problem Eve, you can't stop yourself from doing it, even though it's not going to help you!" Gally had not meant to raise his voice and he sat himself down hard in the stool to control his rising frustration.

Eve fell back on her pillow, covering her face as she wailed.

"You don't get it! You're not the only girl in the Glade! How would you feel if you were the only boy? You'd feel out of place too! Wondering what is the point in it all? Was it on purpose? You don't know! Was it… a mistake?" Her voice hitched and Gally flinched. His hands shook as he fought to keep them back. She needed his comfort so much, but the burns were shooting up red flags. So he remained silent, staring down at the floor as Eve calmed, taking deep, intentional breaths. Gradually, she grew quiet and glanced at him through her fingers.

"What if I was a mistake, Gally?" Her voice had gone quiet, hardly a whisper now.

For a moment, Gally did not have a response, staring down at the wooden floor. There was nothing he could say that would appease her. He didn't know any more than she did. Lifting his head, he glanced at him, his mouth in a line and his eyes neutral.

"I don't know Eve," He tensed as she took a shuddering breath, covering her head with her arms. She wasn't crying, the tears would only make the burning worse. Hurt and confusion came off her in waves.

Gally frowned, resting his hands on the bed again, leaning in close to watch what he could see of her face. There had to be something he could say, something that would calm this battle raging within her. Eve had been struggling with this idea of self-doubt and un-belonging for some time, that much was clear. This wasn't something that had just now cropped up, it had been ongoing, month upon month of worry and confusion. With every new boy, she had steadily grown more and more concerned, although she never spoke it out loud. But Gally had seen it, watched her face grow darker and darker each month, saw her motivation and assurance fail her. He had not been able to help her then, there was no way he could have reached out to her. His pride and unwillingness to speak his true mind had stopped him. Now, everything was different. He knew Eve, better than any of the others. This new feeling of protectiveness for Eve was growing and he could not let it go to waste. She needed him more than ever.

He could fix this, he could help her.

"Eve?" Gally's voice was soft, he had lost his frustration.

She didn't move, laying still on the sick bed. But Gally could tell by her silence that she was listening, so he continued.

"Eve, even if you are a mistake…," she flinched at the word but didn't say anything. Gally frowned, wondering what to say. Swallowing, he started again, picking his words carefully. "You… you're special, you know?" He swallowed again, he hated speaking his mind, but she needed to hear the truth. "You've helped this Glade in ways that we never could. You've been a major asset to the dugout roof and now the tower. Newt loves having you in the garden and you've even done work for Fry! If you were… a mistake, then well... you're one hell of a shucking mistake,"

Eve lowered her arms, her hands still over her face.

"Do you really think so?" Her voice was muffled, shaky.

Gally smiled, leaning forward again, hoping to catch her eye. Eve looked at him between her fingers and he smiled again. She lowered her hands away from her face, turning her head to look at him. Her eyes were shining, tears glistening on the edge of falling. Gally couldn't help it, he reached out his fingers and brushed her cheeks softly, catching a small tear as it rolled down her face. Eve flinched as her burned skin was irritated and Gally moved his fingers.

"I'm sorry," Disappointment laced his words.

Eve shook her head, pushing herself up once again.

"No Gally, don't apologize, this wasn't your fault," She took a deep breath, letting it out rather forcefully. Closing her eyes, Eve shook her head, ashamed. "I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble today. I didn't mean to...,"

Gally shook his head at her; she worried too much. Tipping back in the stool, he turned his head to look outside the door. The others had gone back to their tasks, leaving Gally to watch over Eve on his lunch break from work on the tower. It was mid-afternoon now; Winston had been left in charge of chopping up the sticks they'd collected that morning and Gally would have to return to him soon. He couldn't slack off any more than he already had to worry about Eve. He turned back to her, smiling sympathetically as she lay before him, her eyes still closed.

"Forget about it Eve, the others know you didn't mean it. I knew that you weren't ready to get back to full work, you've got a lot on your plate right now," Eve opened her eyes and looked to protect, but Gally stopped her with a look before continuing. "Alby agrees with me, he knows that you should be taking it easy until we know for sure if you're pregnant or not. We thought it might be better if you worked with the Med Jacks for the time being. It will be easier work and you won't have to be out in the sun; that burn will need time to heal. Alby's given you until the Box comes up next month. If you're not pregnant, then you'll come back to work with Winston and I on the tower,"

Eve closed her mouth and thought over what Gally had said. She knew that he was right, but she hated the thought of having to be treated differently; others in the Glade may not be as understanding. She was too tired to think about it for long though and decided that it was the best that could be done for the moment. Taking a deep breath, Eve reached out her hand, slowly and held it out to him. Gally leaned forward and took her hand in his, careful not to brush up against her burn. Smiling, he watched her eyes as she watched his. After a moment of silence, she spoke up, her voice steady once more.

"I'm sorry about all this… I really am. I'll do my best to pull my weight around with the Med Jacks. Thank you, Gally," Her voice changed again and she looked to cry as she gripped his fingers tightly. "Thank you for taking care of me... I never imagined you would be this kind... that you would want to look out for me. I never knew how much I needed it, I never knew how much I needed you," Eve's voice dropped to a whisper.

Gally smiled benevolently at her, looking over her face. He wasn't used to people thanking him for being kind and he would kill the shank who pointed out his changing heart. But he enjoyed Eve's gentle spirit and this protective nature for her; it felt good and he was proud to be able to care for her this much. He could speak his mind with her, it felt so freeing. That was just one of the many things he found special about her. Squeezing her hand once more, Gally let it rest on the sick bed and leaned back, rather hesitantly. He didn't want to leave her and from the look in her eyes, he could tell that she didn't want him to. He tilted his chin to her.

"You should rest up. Alby will expect you up and working tomorrow. Sleep as much as you can, hopefully, the worst of the burn will have cleared up by tomorrow. Jeff will bring you more ice later on. I have to get back to the tower," Gally stood up, lingering by the sick bed for a moment.

Eve followed his movements, her eyes shimmering.

"I'll do my best,"

Gally nodded, suddenly uncertain on how he was to leave her. He took a step back from the bed and turned on his heel.

"Gally, wait!"

He turned around in a heartbeat, his eyes locked on hers. Eve looked up at him, her eyes pleading, reaching out to him.

"You'll... you'll come back? I mean, I'll see you soon... won't I?"

Gally felt a warm rush fill his chest and he stepped back up to the bed. Bending down over Eve, he kissed her, ever so gently, on her hair, resting a moment as he breathed in her scent.

"I'll come back, I promise," He whispered quietly before he straightened. Giving her one last smile, Gally left the Med Jack hut.

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 **Okay, I hope to have the next chapter up soon, but next week is crazy busy for me, so many the week after. July will be my month for getting more chapters up. Thank you for reading and leave a review once you've finished. Cheers!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello all, I am sorry this was such a long time coming. I struggled a little bit on how to write it. Thank you for the reviews, I love reading them! So thank you to Yuri Nanami and iSyd for the reviews! I really appreciate your support. Anyway, this story will be ending soon, I wrote all I wanted to and I will be wrapping up in about 4-5 chapters**

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A month passed, a long month, eventful and abundant.

The Greenie that had come up after Eve's incident was a much-needed pair of hands. He had been apprehensive and frightened, but as always, after Alby took the time to explain the dire situation, he had settled down. Two days after he came up in the Box, he remembered his name. Dan was of an impressive build and Alby decided he was too solid to become a Runner. Gally tried him out him out on his team for a day, working on the tower building and he was impressed with his willingness to listen, learn and practice. The two worked as a well-oiled machine and Gally was relieved to finally have another Builder on his team.

Small teams were beginning to develop in the Glade and everyone seemed to have a place.

Except for the Glade's only girl.

Eve had done as she was told and worked thirty days with the Med Jacks, keeping out of the sun as much as she could. Her activity level decreased significantly, but she still managed to keep her shape. For a few days after her reinstatement, Clint and Jeff thought that she has become pregnant. Sickness plagued her and it was thought to be the first signs. But after a week, she recovered and regained her strength. Her burn peeled away and she could work long hours without any symptoms of sickness. Another week passed, then another and then another; nothing changed. Clint eventually confirmed that the impregnation had been unsuccessful. There was no extra heartbeat, no weight gain and no increase in hormonal change. It was official, Eve was not pregnant.

It was common knowledge by now and Alby knew that a new plan of action would need to be announced. Another meeting was in order.

Gally sat opposite Alby and Newt, one elbow was on his knee, his chin resting in his hand as he leaned forward. The other hand was stretched across Eve's legs, his hand resting on her thigh. She sat close to him, her hip touching his, her hands resting on the dirt before her. Eve had not been surprised when Alby called the meeting, but something about her fidgeting, her wary eyes, the stiffness of her body was off. Something was clearly bothering her.

Alby sat with his back up against the dirt wall, Newt at his side, arms over his chest and one leg crossed over the other. Minho would have been present if he had not been busy in his own meeting with Ben, he would be filled in on the decisions later. A lengthy silence had sat between the four of them as no one knew quite how to start the conversation. Eventually, it became obvious that no one was going to speak up, so Alby cleared his throat and eased into a conversation.

"Your month in the Med Jack's hut is over Eve. Are you willing to climb for Gally again?" His question was gentle, with no pressure implied and Eve almost looked relieved at the easiness of the question.

"Yes sir, I could use the exercise,"

Alby smiled for a brief moment before leaning forward. There was no stepping around the conversation, so he might as well start.

"I must ask you both, what are your plans in moving forward?"

Eve tensed again and Gally felt it. He brushed his thumb over her leg before responding to Alby.

"You want a definitive decision?"

Alby nodded slowly, spreading his hands out as he explained his reasoning.

"The Glader's have begun to ask questions. They know that Eve is not pregnant. For a while, it gave them some sense of hope. Now that it hasn't been successful, they are looking for what they can hope for next. Minho is working around the clock on the Maze, but he doesn't have any more answers. A new idea or a second try could very well be what the Glader's need to believe in something again. I hate to see it, but they're losing motivation and they need something to start the fire again,"

Eve's eyes widened, but she remained quiet as Gally digested Alby's words. They both understood what he spoke of, it wasn't hard to see the destruction of the Glader's hope, it dwindled day after day and something drastic needed to be done if they were to restore hope.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Gally spoke up again.

"This is my and Eve's decision, so what will happen if we don't try it again? You say we need a new plan, do you know what that is?"

Alby shook his head and Newt piped up.

"I think that will come after we know for sure that we aren't trying this plan again,"

Alby spoke up again.

"This isn't to say that if you two decide not to try again, the Glader's have no hope. That is simply not the case, we merely need to make a decision and move on. Minho is making progress and I believe he will have a real breakthrough soon. So please do not be pressured by what I've said," Alby seemed to point his words to Eve, who was still looking worried, squirming in her seat as she listened. She did not catch on completely, but she relaxed slightly when she caught his eye and his smile.

Gally turned his head once more to look at Eve, who met his eyes for only a moment and looked away. Frowning, Gally looked back at Alby, his eyebrow furrowed with concentration. After a moment, he voiced his thoughts.

"So there are two options in terms of this plan. One is that we can throw the idea away, think of something new. We know that Eve may be infertile so another attempt could be fruitless,"

Alby nodded slowly, glancing up at Eve. She was fidgeting again, scratching her fingers over her knees, her knuckles white. But she did not speak as Gally continued.

"The second option is that we can try it again, to rule out infertility for sure. I can't say I know how often this sort of thing is successful, but I couldn't imagine it being as easy as one try,"

Alby scratched his forehead, he agreed with Gally, but stating the options was not what he needed. He looked up at Eve again; she was drumming her fingers on the dirt now, staring at the ground. Something was going on with her; Ably dropped his hand from his forehead and frowned.

"Eve?"

The girl flinched and looked up, her eyes wide. Alby leaned forward, a frown on his face. Gally looked at her, noticing the fear in her eyes. Pulling her a bit closer by her legs, Gally brushed his thumb over her skin.

"What's wrong Eve?" His voice was quiet as if no one else was meant to hear. Eve shook her head and blinked her eyes until they cleared. Taking a deep breath, she sat up straight and met Alby and Newt's eyes.

"Those are the only options,"

Alby nodded, still sensing something was amiss with her.

"Do you have any thoughts different from Gally on the matter?"

Eve furrowed her brow, seemingly trying to scrounge up something.

"Not exactly, but… ," The word caught in her throat and Gally gripped her knee, his face contorted as he looked her over. Eve dropped her gaze as she answered, her voice quiet. "I think it would be best to drop the idea,"

Silence followed her words. Newt raised an eyebrow but did not speak and Alby narrowed his eyes. Eve was squirming, adjusting and readjusting her shoulders as she stared at the ground. He knew what she was thinking now, but he was interested to know the reason, which did not seem to be an easy one for her.

Gally shifted, sitting up so as to turn his body toward her.

"Why is that?" The blonde asked the question quietly, but Eve flinched away from him, shrinking in his shadow.

"Gally," Alby almost whispered and the blonde turned to him. Alby gestured for him to back down. Gally took his arm off Eve's leg and wrapped it around her back, pulling her closer to him. Alby smiled softly and leaned into Eve.

"What are your thoughts, Eve?"

Eve looked back up, her eyes wide and glossy. Gally rubbed his hand up and down her back and that seemed to relax her. Taking a deep breath, she spoke up, her voice wavering.

"I just don't think we talked enough about how hard it would be to raise a child in the Glade,"

Newt spoke up, curious.

"But we decided we would try it, despite the risk. You did agree,"

Alby lay a hand on Newt's shoulder, reminding him to be gentle.

Eve nodded, her face reddening slightly.

"I know that… I just, I don't think we discussed it enough. I know we said it would be worth it, even with all the risks. It would help us go on if we did die out. I'm just wondering... would it really be worth it? What are the real chances of us dying out?"

Eve's argument seemed weak as if she was making it up on the spot. They had discussed all this before the endeavour was seen through. The rehashing of the arguments seemed to be a convenient cover for something else. Eve was still fidgetting and Alby didn't quite believe her words were what had caused her to become so jumpy.

Newt frowned, quite confused himself.

"We decided it was worth it,"

"Ah slim it Newt!" Gally turned on the skinny second, seeming to have become frustrated as he listened to Eve. Alby could tell in his eyes that Gally didn't quite buy Eve's words either. After no one spoke, Eve piped u again, timid and on edge.

"Yes, we did. But now that we almost had that reality, shouldn't we look back and decide for sure? Gally has already said, it might be fruitless to try again,"

Alby raised his hand before any more could be said.

"Eve, I hear you. I merely wanted to hear your thoughts, this is between you and Gally. We will accept either decision you make,"

Eve wrung her hands out before her, looking at the ground. She would not settle and it was beginning to get to Gally.

"Eve, what's bothering you?"

Eve shook her head, eyes sharp.

"Nothing! I just think it's better if we think of something else,"

Alby raised his hands, sensing a need to adjourn the meeting.

"Why don't the two of you talk about it in private?"

Eve didn't look at him, but Gally nodded for them both.

"Thank you, Alby,"

* * *

The night was growing colder and by the time the evening meal was finished and the fire doused, Eve was nearly reluctant to go out to the pond. But she decided that being clean was worth it. After the last boy had settled in for the night, Eve took up her towel and with Gally following close behind, walked out into the darkness, already shivering.

Gally was quiet, walking behind her at a slow pace, strangely preoccupied with his own thoughts. The blonde had been distant ever sense Alby had dismissed the meeting. Eve wasn't quite sure what was on his mind, but she knew that this quiet time during her bath was as good a time as any to discuss what they wanted to do. Eve dreaded the conversation, but there was no avoiding it.

The pond glistened in the light of the moon above them and Eve stopped short of the banks. Gally stopped behind her and turned around, allowing Eve some privacy as she disrobed and slipped in, gasping softly as the cold water embraced her. She longed to take her time and get used to the frigid temperature, but she knew she couldn't avoid Gally forever. Ducking her head under, Eve began to scrub her body down with soap. After a moment, she resurfaced and drew in a deep breath, the wind pulling at the water on her skin and causing her to shiver. She turned around in the water and saw Gally staring at her. He had turned around, his arms were crossed over his chest and he looked serious. Eve swallowed and dipped her head back in the water, any excuse to look away. As soon as she resurfaced, Gally broke the silence between them.

"What's the matter Eve?" His voice was not accusing, but he sounded frustrated. He wanted to know and he would not let up until he did.

Eve turned her back to him, rinsing her hair clean of the soap, closing her eyes to think. She knew that she couldn't avoid his question forever, but she wasn't sure she could tell him; she wasn't sure he would understand. She had been in agony in the meeting, she knew she couldn't do it again, she didn't want to! But there was no way she could explain to Alby and Newt that she didn't want to do it; it was selfishness.

The awkward silence became too much for her and she turned around, flipping her hair back from her head to see clearly. Gally's cheeks flushed at the sight of her exposed chest, but he did not look away. He had seen her like this before and he was not about to back down. He wanted an answer and he would get one. He tilted his chin to her.

"Answer me," Once again, Gally was not harsh with her, but he was determined.

Sighing, Eve slid deeper into the water, surprisingly warmer now.

"Nothing is the matter. I just don't think it's worth trying again. Do.. do you want to try it again?" her voice was small, not at all convincing.

Gally's eyes widened.

"Eve…," He took a step closer to the water, but Eve backed away, turning her face away from him. A small tear escaped the corner of her eye and she covered her mouth with a hand. Gally frowned, curling and uncurling his hands, unsure of what to do. He took another step and stopped.

"Eve, I don't care about trying again. We don't need to, there's no point in it. I just want you to tell me what's wrong,"

Eve turned to him again, glancing at him with worried eyes.

"It doesn't matter... does it? If we're both in agreement, then that's it,"

Gally pounded his fist in the air and pointed at her.

"It does matter! It matters to me, Eve! There's something bothering you, just tell me! What's wrong?" His voice softened with his last question, his hands relaxed and he took another step closer to the shores, the toes of his shoes touching the water.

Eve turned away again.

"It's nothing, Gally, honestly,"

"But it is something… Eve! So help me, I'm going to come in there and get you if you don't tell me!" Gally was having trouble not getting angry, but he steadied his voice and spoke earnestly. "I just want to help Eve,"

Eve looked at him, her eyes watery.

"You won't judge me?" Her voice was a breath. Gally shook his head, backing up a step from the water.

"Of course not, I could never judge you, Eve," His voice was sincere and Eve relaxed a touch, her shoulders falling gently. Taking a deep breath, Eve ducked her head, not meeting Gally's gaze.

"I'm afraid," Her voice was so quiet that Gally couldn't quite hear her.

"You're what?"

Eve groaned and turned away, rubbing her arms for the cold.

"I'm afraid," She spoke up, but only slightly. Gally tiled his head back, unsure of what she meant.

"Afraid of what?"

Eve rolled her eyes and turned her head the other way, the cold making her short, frustrated. She dipped under the water to keep warm.

"I'm afraid… I'm afraid of the birth Gally,"

Gally raised an eyebrow.

"The birth?"

Eve was tired and cold.

"Yes Gally, the birth! The birth of a baby! I'm scared, okay? I don't want to do it!" Eve didn't mean for her voice to get so loud, but as she continued, she could not help it, fear causing her to scream. "I can't do it! I'm afraid! Have the Med Jack's ever birthed a baby? Do they even know how? No, of course not! They don't have the tools! I've been in there, there's nothing in there they could use. No pain medicine, no equipment. They won't be able to help me! I could die! I could die giving birth to a baby. I could die in this Maze! I can't do it! I won't!"

Her voice echoed strangely off the water a moment after she stopped, her words reverberating back to Gally as he stood before her, his eyes wide and his body stiff. Eve rubbed her hands up and down her face, lowering herself once again into the water. The silence between them lengthened and continued for quite some time.

If this was anyone else, Gally would've told them to suck it up, walk it off and get over themselves. Stop being so selfish and think about the Glade! But this was Eve.. this was his Eve. And she was right… she could die. She could die giving birth to a child in this Glade and if she did, where would that leave them? Where would that leave him? He couldn't lose Eve… he just couldn't. They had already decided they wouldn't try it again, but now Gally was determined. He couldn't risk losing this girl, not now.

All these thoughts came in a rush to the blonde and he shook himself, suddenly aware of the shivering Eve in the water before him. He took a step forward and then another, his shoes in the water, reaching out to her, his arms extended toward her, his eyes pleading. A bit hesitantly, as she was still bare, Eve moved forward, reaching the shores to stand up before him. As soon as Gally could touch her, he swung her towel around her shoulders and pulled her into him, holding her head to his chest. He held her there, tightly, spreading warmth through her as he rubbed the towel up and down along her back. Eve pulled the corners of the towel around her chest and Gally rested his nose onto her head, breathing deeply of the soapy smell left behind.

"You don't have to worry Eve, we don't have to do this again. We don't need to, there are other ways. Minho will solve the Maze one day, we'll get out of this. I know we will!" Gally's voiced wavered.

Eve tilted her chin up to meet look at him, amazed at what she saw. Gally's eyes were glistening, his cheeks wet. Eve had never seen him cry, she had never believed him capable of it. His eyes were squinted and small tears trailed down his rugged face. Eve stood up on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck, the edges of the towel still held in her hands. He picked her up, her bare chest pressing against his as he held her close, burying his face in her neck. Eve held his head in her arms, shivering despite herself. Gally shook beneath her and Eve squeezed her eyes closed.

"I didn't know you cared so much,"

Gally turned his face up to her, the tears already drying on his cheeks, his face distorted as he fought to control his emotions.

"It's more than that Eve… it's much more. I... I love you," His voice dropped to a hush, a few more tears escaping, his eyes searching Eve's for a response. Eve took his face in her hands, her tears returning as she stared into those green eyes.

"I love you too Gally,"

She leaned down to kiss him and he reached up to her, meeting her lips in a soft gentle touch, letting her slide down his body just enough to level out their interlocking lips. He wrapped his arms around her back tightly, seeking her lips more and more. After a moment, Gally let go, breathing deeply. Eve lay her head on his neck, her breathing matching his own. Gally pulled her towel closer, knowing that she was going to get cold soon. Slowly, he bent just enough for Eve to step down onto the ground. Smiling softly, Gally looked down at her.

"I can't lose you, Eve. I won't,"

Eve took a deep breath, shaking visibly.

"Then we aren't going to try again?"

Gally shook his head.

"It didn't work. We tried and proved that it didn't. I want you safe Eve," He brushed back a strand of drying hair from her face and she smiled briefly, ducking her head. Gally took her chin in his fingers and brought her head back up.

"Are you okay?"

Eve nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist, breathing in deeply once again. Gally pushed her back, smiling gently.

"If you don't get changed now, you're liable to catch a cold. I need you strong if you're coming back to work on the tower tomorrow,"

Eve smirked gently and pushed his shoulder. Gally took the hint and turned around to allow her to put her clothes back on. After she had finished, Eve picked up her towel and the bar of soap and walked around Gally.

"Ready?"

Gally strode into step behind her.

"I'll inform Alby of our decision tomorrow,"

Eve nodded slowly and Gally followed her to the hammocks. Both were tired and ready for a good nights sleep.

Newt was already asleep when the two arrived under the soft, skin covering and they were quiet as they climbed into their hammocks. Just before Eve ducked under her covers, Gally leaned across the space and kissed her on the head. He rested his forehead on hers for a moment afterward.

"Goodnight Eve," He whispered, his voice soft and rumbling.

Eve breathed in his musky smell and whispered back.

"Goodnight Gally,"

The blonde leaned back and climbed into his hammock. After they had settled, it was not long before they were both asleep. The coolness of the night made their cocoons all the cozier and they slept soundly in their poor excuse for a home.

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 **Thank you all for reading. I'm sorry if I missed a few editing mistakes, I did it really fast. Thank you for reading and feel free to leave a review**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello all, thank you so much for all of those reading this story. I hope you're enjoying it! Here is another chapter for you and I hope to have another one up in a week or so, depending on how busy I am. Thank you for all those reading and thank you for the reviews!**

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The sun arrived in all its splendour the next morning, sparkling in the dew droplets scattered throughout the grass, like so many diamonds hiding in the green blades. The heat shivered through the air in waves; it was shaping up to be another scorching day.

When Gally had woken up, the sun had barely peaked over the Maze, but he knew that was to his advantage. The more work he and his crew could do in the morning coolness, the better. Swinging his legs out of the hammock, Gally sat up and stretched his arms over his head. Stiffness caused him to groan and he dropped his arms, shaking his head clear of sleepiness. Eve was fast asleep next to him and he smirked gently. Reaching across the space between them, he nudged her shoulder; a quite groan was his only response and Eve burrowed deeper into her blanket, cozy despite the heat. Gally shook his head and stood up, grabbing hold of the hammock and tilting it to the left.

"Gally!" Eve's muffled, frustrated voice only made Gally more amused. He tilted the hammock again and Eve sat up, glaring at him.

"Really?"

Gally grinned and sat back down in his hammock to put on his shoes.

"We have to take advantage of the all the shade we can get. You'll appreciate not sweating to death in the trees,"

Eve rolled her eyes and threw the blanket off. Gally shook his head and looked out into the Glade.

Newt was gone, somewhere in the garden. Zart was still asleep a few yards away; he would no doubt join Newt when he woke up.

Fry Pan was already in his hut, smoke was coming up the shaft from his cooking fire. The steady thunk thunk thunk coming from behind the hut told him that Winston was at the slaughter.

Minho and Ben were nowhere to be seen, no doubt the two were already running through the Maze. Minho ran his ship hard and he was usually up at the crack of dawn ready to run. Ben was a little less enthusiastic, but he never failed to wake up at Minho's call.

Dan was still asleep, on the other side of Zart. The new builder would wake up soon and Gally would set him to work on the twine for the new section of the tower. After they had all had a bit of breakfast of course.

The tower was coming along nicely, two levels had already been finished and it was about as tall as Gally himself. Alby wanted to triple the size, if not more. The higher the better, if indeed they were to be in need of it.

Gally swivelled his head and caught sight of the Glade leader. He lounged on the rock beside the Box, a bowl in his hand and a spoon in the other.

Another Glader was coming up today. It was Dan's last day as a Greenie.

"The Box is coming up today, right?"

Gally looked back at Eve; she had stood up, her shoes were on and she was looking out after him. He nodded and finished tying his laces.

"This will be the fourteenth,"

Eve nodded, her eyebrows furrowed. Her mind did not seem to be on the new Greenie. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again.

"Do you think Alby will be upset?" Her voice was soft.

Gally raised an eyebrow at her.

Eve wasn't looking at him. Her hair blocked her face from him. She looked nervous, her posture tense and one ankle wrapped around the other as she looked out across the Glade.

Gally stood up and took a step closer. Nonchalantly, as he looked out once more to Alby, Gally wrapped his arm around her low back and pushed her hair back with the other. She looked up at him, her eyes curious. Gally kissed her forehead gently before squinting into the sun in the Glade

"He said whatever we decide was fine, there is always another idea we can try. Besides," He let his hand fall from her back and took hold of her hand. "Minho is getting closer to something. He'll have good news soon,"

Eve gripped Gally's fingers in her own and took a deep breath.

"I guess you're right,"

Gally squeezed her hand one more time and let go.

"Why don't you go get something to eat? I'll talk to Alby and wake up Dan in the meantime. Save me something?"

Eve nodded, clinging to his fingers for as long as she could before letting them slid away. Gally left the shade of the hammock covering and stepped out into the sunlight, squinting again at the sudden brightness. He closed the distance between him and Alby in a matter of minutes and stopped short just beside the Glade leader. He folded his arms over his chest, looking out toward the Box. The fourteenth member of the Glade would be joining them today. Gally could not help looking back across the months to when he had sat with Alby on this very rock, waiting for the Box to come up. The eighth member of their little group. There had been so few of them back then and no one had guessed that they would receive a girl into their mix. There had been confusion, skepticism and worry. Gally, in particular, had been against her, determined that they didn't need a girl in the Glade.

But now.. he couldn't imagine the Glade without her.

Alby looked up sideways at Gally, his eyes squinted against the sun.

"You've made your decision then?"

Gally shook himself and turned to Alby. He nodded and unfolded his arms.

"We've decided that we won't try it again. It's not worth it and we'll only lose time finishing the tower,"

Alby added slowly, digesting the news.

"You both agree on this?"

Gally nodded again.

"It was mutual,"

"So you found out what was bothering Eve?"

Gally tensed, unsure of how to proceed. Eve had shared her fears with him in confidence. How much was meant to report back to Alby?

"I did," There was not much else to say on the matter.

After a moment, Alby nodded again and turned back to the Box. A lengthy pause followed and Gally waited.

"We will have to have a meeting tonight,"

Gally's eyebrows shot up, but Alby continued.

"Minho is ready to make a report on the Maze. He sounded earnest, I think he's found something,"

Gally let out a breath and relaxed. But he was also curious.

"A way out?"

Alby shrugged and took another bit of his meal.

"He didn't say, but it is something. You will join the three of us after the Greenie celebration tonight,"

Gally nodded, relieved that Alby had left Eve out of it. He obviously did not intend to pry into her personal reasons. Taking a deep breath, Gally looked out to the Box, resting his hands on his hips.

"The fourteenth member," His voice was heavy.

Alby didn't acknowledge his statement right away.

"Too many," He finally said.

Gally dropped his gaze to the ground, rolling a small stone under his foot. Another thought, one that had been bothering him for quite some time, came into his mind.

"Alby?"

The Glade leader looked up at him.

"Do you think…? In two months, we'll have our sixteenth member, right? Do you think... it'll be another girl? That would be a consistent pattern,"

Alby understood. The idea was not a new one. He knew that Eve was depending on that very fact; she still believed she was a mistake and the addition of another girl would dismiss the idea for her. Unfortunately, they could not know one way or the other until the sixteenth member joined them and that was still two months away.

"We won't know until we know," His response was frustrating.

Gally frowned, not satisfied with the answer. But he didn't have time to debate. The sun was rising bit by bit and he had work to do.

"I guess we will,"

Alby squinted up at him again.

"Eve will be rejoining your team today?"

Gally nodded, gesturing to the kitchen hut, his other hand on his hip.

"She's getting some breakfast before we start. We could really use a climber again, I need the logs for the floorboards,"

Alby nodded dismissively.

"Best be on it then,"

Gally turned on his heel, calling over his shoulder.

"Eve and I will be back before the Box comes up,"

Alby nodded and waved him off.

* * *

"How many more do we need?"

Eve, halfway up a surprisingly tall tree, shouted down to Gally. The blonde, standing under the tree, he tilted his head up to get a glimpse of her through the tree branches.

"About a dozen or so. How many more up there?" He had long since let Eve decide what tree branches would work and she did a good job of it. She had come a long way from the skittish girl who couldn't hold a knife.

There was a short pause before Eve called down again.

"I think this is the last one thick enough. Watch out!" Gally moved away from the trunk and waiting until he heard the thud of the tree branch; he was busy sanding down the branches Eve had already cut. Adding to his already growing pile, Gally moved back under the trunk and looked up.

"Alright, come on down,"

A rustling in the leaves answered him and Gally kept an eye on Eve as she made her way down the tree. After a minute or two, Eve was back on the ground, her knife safely tucked in on her belt, sweat beading down her forehead. Frowning, she rubbed her thumb over the palm of her other hand.

"Calluses again, I've barely started,"

Gally rolled his eyes and handed her his water satchel. She took it gratefully and held it to her lips for a much-needed drink.

"You've been working for an hour, I'm not surprised they've come back,"

Eve dropped her head, wiping her mouth with her arm as she handed the water back to Gally. She rubbed her palm again and frowned.

"You're lucky you don't have to suffer this pain,"

Gally scoffed and held out right hand. Thick, heavy callouses covered the joints of his fingers.

"Shucking lucky, that's for sure,"

Eve pushed his hands away, shaking her head with a smile.

"At least those are permanent, you don't feel them anymore,"

"Maybe not, but you can feel them," He ran his hand rather roughly down Eve's bare shoulders ad she jumped away, smacking at his hand.

"Shuck Gally! Are you trying to take my skin off? "

Gally laughed and picked up his sticks, pointing toward the next tree with the one Eve had just dropped.

"Come on, we haven't got all day!"

His voice was playful and Eve rolled her eyes, walking next to him as they approached the next tree.

"Don't rush me,"

She stepped up to the tree of Gally's choice and lifted her leg up to step onto a small knob sticking out about halfway between the ground and the first branch. Eve pushed herself off the ground, reaching for the branch, but the knob was slippery and she lost her footing. She brought her leg down to stand on the ground. She turned to Gally, looking frustrated.

"A little help please?"

Gally gave her a look.

"When are you going to grow a few inches?"

Eve rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"Come on Gally, we don't have all day!" She threw his words back at him with mock importance. Gally screwed up his nose at her and stepped up beside her. He locked his hands together and she stepped into it. She took hold of the trunk and reached up for the branch as Gally hefted her up enough. It did not take more than a few seconds for Eve to grab hold of the branch and pull herself up and off Gally's hands. Soon, she was standing up straight, holding onto the trunk to steady herself.

"Thank you," She smiled at him softly

Gally smirked and nodded.

"You're welcome,"

Eve shook her head at him before she scampered up the tree in search of usable building branches. Gally picked up the unsanded sticks he had left and got back to it.

As he worked, he couldn't help thinking back to all the times he and Eve had been out here, under the trees, each with their own job. It hadn't always been playful banter between them. When Eve had first started, Gally had resented her interfering with his work. Despite the fact that she was a fairly agile climber, Eve had been weak and wary, lousy with a knife and scared of heights. It had taken her several weeks to adjust and become more comfortable and Gally had not helped at all. He grimaced when he thought back to how awful he had really been to her, taking every opportunity to shoot her down, even when she made progress.

It was not until Eve had fallen when he finally realized how much he had begun to care for her. The fall had scared him, he had worried for her and his anger afterward had only been a projection of his feelings. Following that, Gally had steadily begun to adjust to her, even stumbling through a few praises when he knew she was doing well.

And Eve had done well, with everything set before her, she excelled. Out of all the boys, she had done the most for the Glade, having a hand in every job other than running the Maze.

Even when asked to do something no other boy could do, Eve rose to the challenge and took it head on, despite the fact that it scared her. Gally could not believe how harshly he had misjudged her. And now, he could not believe how lucky he was that he, the biggest shank out of all the Glader's, had been given the chance to truly know Eve, to share something with her that she would never give to anyone else.

Gally blinked, unaware that his eyes had filled with unshed tears. What was with him? He didn't cry! Shaking his head, Gally turned around and looked up to Eve. She had cut off one stick and was holding it in her hand as she cut down another. Her eyes were on her job and she looked focused.

Gally called up to her.

"Are there enough in that tree to finish for the day?" He had quite a pile beside him and he was sure it would do for another layer on the tower.

Eve looked down at him for a moment. She didn't notice his flushed cheeks as she responded.

"I think so,"

Gally gripped the bark as he watched her. He suddenly wanted very much for her to be back down on the ground. He wanted to touch her, to hold her and kiss her. He wanted to tell her how lucky he felt that she had chosen him, out of all the other Glader's.

But they had a job to do. It would have to wait.

"Alright, this will be your last tree then," His voice wavered just a touch and Eve looked down at him again.

"Are you alright?"

Gally nodded, turning around again to hid his face. He picked up the last few sticks as he answered her.

"Of course. Come on, we don't have all day!"

Eve's first branch hit his head before Gally heard it fall. He turned around, a wide smile on his face as he looked up at her. Eve was smiling down at him with the other branch in her hand.

"Say that one more time, I dare you!"

* * *

By the time Eve and Gally returned into the Glade, everyone had gathered around the Box. They knew it was due to come up soon and they were eager to meet the new Greenie. Dan was among the crowd. After today, he would no longer be a Greenie.

Gally and Eve dropped off their pile beside the tower site. Gally was impressed to see that Dan had laid out the strips of twine needed for each section and he had even hauled in a log to cut and sand down for floorboards. The job for that day would be easy now as all the pieces they needed were set and ready.

Eve followed Gally as they walked toward the Box, joining the throng. They came to a stop between Dan and Winston. The Slicer was punching Dan playfully, getting in all he could before the Builder became a full member of the Glade.

"No more names Dan, I bet you'll enjoy that!"

Dan brushed his sandy brown hair out of his face, his mouth twisted in a weird smile. He was still getting used to the ways of the Glader's. He was often confused about how the boys could forget the reality of their situation and crack jokes, but he was slowly loosening up.

Gally caught Dan's eye and nodded to him.

"Good job on the twine. After the new Greenie comes up, we'll get to work,"

Dan brightened up and smiled.

"Thank you,"

Gally gave him a nod and looked over the gathered Glader's. Minus Minho and Ben, everyone was there. Alby and Newt, standing on the other side of the Box, acknowledged Gally's look with a nod. Before any more could be said, the ground began to shudder.

The sound of the Box rumbled through the air and they gathered closer to the opening in the ground. Alby gestured to Gally with his hand over the Box and the blonde gestured back.

He was responsible for the welcome party.

"Stand back, it's coming up!"

The Box was grinding, screeching and making it's way up the elevator like structure faster than thought possible. They could see the metal roof speeding up to them. Slowly, as it got closer to the top, the Box clattered to a halt just before the surface of the grass. It clunked once more and stopped, the whining of the gears fading into the echoes of the Glade. A moment of silence passed before the doors of the Box opened with a metallic wail and a thud; the sun poured into the opening. Crates, all marked with the same bold printed WCKD, were stacked along the sides. A few mesh cages held chickens and pigs; there was one medium sized goat in the right corner.

In the middle of the Box, a lean, tall black haired boy sat staring up at them, squinting in the sunlight. He looked very confused.

"Who are you?" his voice was deep, but he did not seem upset.

Alby knelt beside the Box, a hand on his knee.

"My name is Alby, this is the Glade. Do you remember your name?"

The boy squinted further, finally raising a hand to block out the sun.

No…," his face fell momentarily. "I can't remember. Why can't I remember?" His voice strained as the boys above him continued to stare, a multitude of eyes boring into him. He backed up into the wall and stared back. "What is my name? Where am I?"

Alby flicked his fingers at Gally without taking his eyes off the boy and Gally jumped into the Box, quickly followed by Newt. The boy looked at Newt and then to Gally and back again.

"Who are you?"

Newt put out his hand, smiling encouragingly.

"My name is Newt, this is Gally," He pointed toward the blonde, giving him a side look in the process. Gally scoffed and turned back to the boy, his hands out before him. He remembered when he had had to approach Eve like this. She had been terrified of him. He tried to look friendly as he got closer to the boy.

"You'll remember your name soon, don't worry. Just come on up,"

The boy was beginning to look curious again. Slowly, he stood up and stared at Gally and Newt. Newt beckoned for him to climb out of the Box and the boy turned and took hold of the sides. Newt and Gally pushed his feet up the Box and the boy tumbled onto the ground above. The Glader's backed up and made room for him as he whipped his head back and forth.

"Where are we? Who are you guys?"

Alby made his way around the Box as Gally and Newt hauled themselves back out.

"This is the Glade and these are the Glader's. You'll learn their names later and I'll explain everything I can to you. But first, why don't we get you checked out, get some water and food?"

The boy looked a little wary, but he did not shy away as Alby approached. The Glade leader stuck out his hand to the boy, who stood a full foot taller than him.

"You'll understand soon, I promise. Your name will come back, everything will be fine. Let's make sure you're alright in the meantime,"

Jeff came alongside Alby and the two began leading the dark haired boy to the Med Jack hut. Alby turned back to the group of Glader's.

"Back to work now. Newt, get Winston and Zart to help you unload the Box. Fry Pan, get going on the evening meal, tonights a celebration!"

The boys were eager, a sense of excitement passing through them as they dispersed from the Box. The new Greenie watched them in confusion as he was led off to the Med Jack hut. Dan followed Gally back to the tower sight, with Eve lagging behind.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Eve sounded worried.

Gally slowed a step to allow Eve to catch up. She was watching the boy being taken into the Med Jack hut. Gally smiled as he looked her over and he wondered if she was remembering her own experience.

"Don't worry about him Eve, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders. Alby will explain it all to him and he'll be working soon enough. Besides, he hasn't cried yet,"

Eve turned her head and glared at him, catching on to his remark.

"I just know it's a scary experience, that's all,"

"I won't wish it on anyone," Dan quickly agreed, picking up his twine as they reached the site.

Gally shut his mouth and walked ahead of the two to pick up some sticks. He didn't have time to worry about the new Greenie, they had a job to do.

* * *

 **Alright, a bit of a longer chapter with a few little scenes throughout. Again, thank you for reading and feel free to review. Cheer!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello all, I'm sorry this has taken so long to get up. I just didn't get around to it. I hope you enjoy this next chapter and I'll try to have the next one up in a reasonable time frame. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

The evening meal was full of laughter, high spirits and good food. Fry Pan had packed his stew full of melting goat meat covered in a thick chicken broth. The hot meal filled the boy's hearts, abating them from the cold weather growing around them.

The new Greenie was in the midst of the celebration, wedged in between Winston and Zart on a wooden plank serving as a bench. He held a jar of Gally's moonshine in his hands and the boys were baiting him on, daring him to drink it. The dark-eyed boy looked around him, unsure who he should trust. Winston nudged him and smiled a friendly smile, signifying that he was in no danger. Still looking rather wary, the new Greenie raised the glass to his lips and took a tentative sip. The boys roared with laughter as he instantly spat it back out, coughing at the intense flavour. Winston laughed and pounded him on the back

"That'll put some meat on your bones!"

"Or melt it off!" Jeff took a sip of his own horrible liquid. The boys chortled at the Med Jack's comment and raised their glasses to the new boy, who was still coughing into his arm. Winston handed him a glass of water and the Greenie took it gratefully.

A little way to the left of the fire, Alby lay across a rock, Newt and Minho sitting next to him on the ground. Empty bowls were scattered around them and near empty cups of the moonshine sat close by. Minho was tapping his foot, eagerness coming off him in waves. He had told Alby he had news to share and was itching to get on with it. Alby was still unsure of what kind of news the Runner had, but Alby would not cut into the Greenies dinner celebration. The dinner was a much-needed adjusting period for the boy.

To keep himself occupied, Minho was looking at the new Greenie, sizing him up, taking measurements of his build. Presently, he called over his shoulder to Alby.

"He's a runner,"

Alby took a very small sip of the moonshine, grimacing as he swallowed it.

"He's certainly got the legs for it,"

Minho frowned and looked back.

"Do you think he's too tall? That's a lot of extra weight he'd have to carry around,"

Alby shrugged and Newt spoke up for him.

"The height could be useful in scouting ahead,"

Minho nodded his head, his leg still drumming the ground. He was clearly still impatient to give his report. Alby addressed him quietly.

"Relax Minho, give Gally a chance to defend his Fight Ring title and we'll get on with your report after he's finished,"

Minho sat up against the rock and nodded, not looking overly excited about having to wait. Alby had a feeling that Minho's news was not as hopeful as he had once believed, but he was determined to treat this as any other Maze report; he did not want the Glader's to suspect something was amiss. He already knew Newt was feeling the same way he did and no doubt Gally was struggling to focus on his fights. The blonde was in the ring with Fry Pan now, his hands around the cook's shoulders as they pushed at each other. The fight had hardly started and it already looked like Gally would win, but Fry Pan would not back down easily. After a few more minutes of pushing and cheers in the crowds for both brawlers, Gally took the upper hand and pushed Fry Pan out the ring, much to the dismay of the crowd of boys. Gally, panting softly, put his hands on his hips and swept the crowd with his eyes, mischievously as he called silently to the next challenger.

Of course, as was tradition, the new Greenie was called upon to test his metal and with some prodding, he was thrown into the ring with Gally, who jeered him loudly.

Eve sat close to the fire, not too far from Alby and his trusted Keeper's. She was watching the fight, a small bowl in her hands and her elbows tucked between her knees. Gally took a hit on the head from the taller Greenie and Eve flinched but didn't move. Gally quickly recovered and the fight wore on. After some time, with baited breath and hardly an eye looking elsewhere, Gally managed to throw the Greenie off balance and with one more whack to the Builder's head, the Greenie toppled out the ring. Cheers of 'good job' and 'better luck next time' filtered through the boys as they gathered around him. Those closest picked up the Greenie and pounded him on the back, congratulating him on giving Gally a good fight. The Keeper of the Builders shook his hand and said the same, retiring from the ring to let some of the other boys challenge each other. He was still panting as he took a jar of his moonshine and sat down next to Eve, stationed an inch or so behind her as if blocking her from the wind.

Minho cleared his throat and drummed his leg more, impatience bubbling over. Alby set down his drink and sat up straight, beckoning to Newt as he stood up. The tussled brunette caught Gally's attention and the blonde turned to them. The Builder saw the trio standing and understood the meeting was about to get underway. Gally nodded and started to stand. She turned at his movement and caught his eyes before he stood completely.

"Alby's called the meeting?"

Gally nodded and handed her his moonshine. She made a face and set it down next to her. Gally smirked as he stopped on his knee next to her.

"C'mon, you've gotta be used to the stuff by now!"

Eve rolled her eyes and made a face.

"It's vile and you know it,"

Gally rolled his eyes and shook his head at her.

"I'll be back after the meeting,"

Eve nodded gently.

"Well go on then, they're probably waiting for you,"

Gally lingered a moment, the feelings from the afternoon creeping over him again. Eve noticed his hesitation and reached up to kiss him, an unexpected meeting of their lips that shocked Gally; his cheeks reddened as he knew the Glader's were probably watching. Eve pulled back after a few seconds and smiled at him.

"Go!" Her voice was playful and she pushed him back.

Gally stood up, still shocked. Eve pushed his leg and he turned around. He started walking, heading after Alby and the others, who had already disappeared under the finished dugout roof. Gally shook his head, touching his lips with a finger for a moment.

That girl could do things to him...

* * *

"Alright Minho, you've waited long enough. Give us your report,"

Minho sat in the middle of Gally, Newt and Alby, the centre of attention as he often had been in their early meetings of figuring out the Maze.

Minho spread his hands out, smiling an off kind of smile.

"I've finished the Maze,"

His statement was blunt and straight to the point. Newt merely blinked and Gally made a face, confused.

Alby rubbed his chin with his thumb; he had known the news was going to be substantial, but this was beyond what he had thought. Although he could not help but wonder why Minho was not more excited.

Newt leaned forward expectantly, tired of the silence.

"And?"

Minho looked down at the ground, his hands clasped out before him, elbows resting on his knees.

"I've finished the Maze, I've run every circuit, I've seen every wall there is to see in that place. Even the back sections, all eight of them are mapped,"

More silence followed his explanation. Alby leaned forward on his elbows, sliding his hands together dryly.

"Minho… you've finished the Maze, but there's more right?"

Minho sighed, ducking his head.

"That's all I have. There's… there's no way out,"

"That you know of?" Newt asked quietly. Minho shrugged.

"I haven't seen one and I've seen everything. I can't have missed a single wall. There is no door, no handle, no hidden wall. There's nothing!" Minho's voice rose as he continued, despair filling the corners of his words.

"There has to be something!" Gally raised his voice, gaining the others attention. He was leaning forward on one leg, his arm at a ninety-degree angle with his palm planted on his knee. His eyes were dark.

Alby raised a hand to Gally and turned to look at Minho.

"You've seen every wall?"

Minho nodded, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at his leader.

"I swear every wall. Ask Ben!"

"I don't doubt your words Minho!" Alby could not stop the shaking in his voice. He was sinking, underneath thick, heavy sand. He could tell by the weight in his heart that he had believed it. He had taken the assumptions of the Maze as truth, he had believed it to be fact. Minho had finished the Maze, but… there was no way out. Alby had let his hopes get up without noticing and he could tell by the forlorn faces around him that they had as well. Minho looked crushed; he knew he had disappointed them.

Alby bent his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger.

"No way out?" His voice was quiet, not meant to be heard. But Minho heard it. The Runner looked up once more, his eyes shining.

"I'm sorry Alby," his voice haltered and he took a deep, shuddering breath. Alby was too stunned to acknowledge his sorrowful apology. Newt stared at the ground, his body frozen. Gally's face was contorted, strangled as he took in the news.

No way out. Was the maze unsolvable? It couldn't be!

There was a length of silence that passed between the four of them, as if time itself has stood still, each one of them frozen in their own thought. The hope, the eternal hope that they would one day escape this hell had grown in them for a year now, growing stronger and stronger with each report Minho had brought back. Everything new wall discovered every section completed had been another piece to the puzzle until finally, he had solved it.

To what end? The Maze didn't have a door, no way out, no escape!

"I'm sorry… ," Minho's voice was hollow and Alby flinching. He resurfaced from the sinking sand. He reached out and lay his hand on Minho's shoulder; the Keeper of the Runner was crumbling before him.

"This isn't your fault Minho, no one can blame you. You've risked your life for us every day, you are only doing your job,"

Minho nodded, understanding what his leader said, but nonetheless defeated for it. Alby continued, rallying his trusted three.

"We knew this was a possibility," His voice was heavy but certain.

"What are you talking about? We always counted on there being a way out! That was always the in the plan!" Gally's head came back to life at Alby's words.

"Gally, please…," Alby rubbed his head; he had poked the dragon.

The blonde was riled, clearly agitated. He sat up, his hands spread out before him.

"There was always supposed to be a way out! It is a Maze, right? That's a puzzle, a puzzle is solvable,"

"We never knew if it really was a Maze Gally," Newt spoke up, his face fallen and dark.

"Don't be a shank! If we had the slightest thought that it might not be a Maze, Alby never would have told the Glader's it was! We've hoped for months that this Maze would be solved. This can't be it! You've got it wrong!"

"I've run it all Gally! There is no way!"

"You can't say that. There has to be something!"

"How? Where? I haven't seen it!"

Gally was breathing heavily, excited and frustrated, a deadly combination for the irritable builder. His old personality, his demanding anger was rearing it's ugly head once again. With steam practically blown from his ears, his face red, Gally continued, flailing his arms as he sputtered out his words.

"Shuck if I know! But you must have missed something!" Gally was grasping at straws but refused to admit it. "What about those sections? There's a pattern there, right?"

Minho nodded his head, becoming frustrated himself.

"I would assume so, they open in sequence,"

Alby opened his eyes, suddenly curious. He remembered when Minho had told him the order in which the sections opened. Seven, one, five, two, six, four, eight and three. It was definitely a pattern, but what it would mean without a door to out?

Gally continued.

"See? A sequence! That means something. There is still more to this puzzle!"

Alby leaned forward again. The blonde may be hotheaded, but he had a point. Something Alby had not considered in his moment of lapse.

"Minho, could that be of importance? Those sequences?"

Minho took a moment to think and as he did, Newt leaned into the group, his eyes glimmering with interest again. The dreary atmosphere had lifted again, but caution was thick in the air.

"I guess they could. The numbers are clearly labelled on the walls of the section. That wasn't an accident,"

Gally nodded, his frustrated giving way to determination. He was not one to admit defeat.

"Then we just have to solve those numbers. Something about them is special, it has to be something!"

Minho was nodding, becoming excited once again.

"I don't know why I didn't see this before. They could mean something. I have no idea what though," His voice fell with the last statement and he looked up at Alby. "If this is a pattern, I have no idea how long it will take me to solve it,"

Alby nodded understandingly, lifting up his hand to stop any further words. Newt, Gally and Minho looked at him, waiting for his instructions. Taking a deep breath, Alby leaned forward on his knees, rubbing his hands up and down his face. The rollercoaster ride of emotions about the Maze was slowly coming to a stop and Alby had to make a decision. The Glader's had to be told something. Something had to be said.

But what could he say?

After a long moment, Alby moved his fingers away from his face.

"We will not speak of this to the Glader's,"

Newt frowned, an eyebrow raised. The boys looked at their leader, not speaking a word as his statement washed over them.

"They know we talked, they know it was important. What are you going to tell them? You can't lie," Newt's voice was insistent.

Alby shook his head.

"I will not have them give up hope. We will not tell them that you have finished the Maze,"

"Ben knows it, he knows we've run its course," Minho's voice was curious.

Alby brought his hands down to his lap, rubbing them together as he continued.

"Ben will not speak of it either. I will not have the Glader's panic,"

"But what are you going to tell them? What are you going to say to appease them? They're already hoping for something from Minho!" Gally was incredulous, his frustration blinding him from understanding.

Alby raised his hands for silence and waited until the boys were watching before he gave his final statement.

"I will tell the Glader's that Minho has finished running the sections. They don't know the circuits you discovered and I will not lie to them completely. They will know that you have run through the larger sections and finished mapping them. There is more to come, but there will be no specifics,"

Newt leaned forward, looking at Alby.

"But why?"

Alby turned to him, his expression heavy.

"I cannot tell the Glader's that there is no obvious way out. That there is no door, no hole in the Maze, no escape. They will panic and lose hope. They will begin to worry and they will not want to work. They will drive themselves crazy with wondering and then we will begin to lose them. I will not lose the Glader's to false despair. There is more to this puzzle and we just have to find it,"

"And what if we can't?" Minh's ominous question filled the boys with dread. That was a possibility, they had to be prepared.

Alby sighed, long and slowly through his nose.

"Then we will die here trying,"

* * *

By the time Newt and Gally came back to their hammocks, the darkness had spread throughout the entire Glade. Most of the Glader's were asleep, tucked into their own hammocks to rest before another day of work.

Eve was nowhere to be seen and Gally knew exactly where she was.

At the pond, for her nightly bath.

Right now, with his head swamped and his hope in the Maze severely damaged, Gally could see the benefits of dunking his head under the cold water of the pond. It could help calm him down and help him sleep.

"You can't tell Eve,"

Gally, sitting on his hammock, looked up at Newt with a frown, his eyebrow arched.

"Tell her what?"

Newt was sitting in his hammock as well, pulling off his boats to get into bed. His eyes were gentle, but his expression was serious.

"About the meeting, about Minho's news. Alby doesn't want anyone to know,"

Gally scowled and picked up a towel from under his hammock, one he used only on the odd occasion of a bath in the pond.

"I know that. I wasn't going to tell her,"

"Then where are you going?"

Gally rolled his eyes and held up his towel.

"To the pond,"

"Where Eve is," Newt gave Gally a look and the blonde scowled.

"I'm not going there to tell her anything. I have to get clean every now and then, you know. Besides-," Gally shut his mouth before he could say any more. He had been thinking of talking to Eve all day. Those thoughts he had had while she was in the trees. How lucky he was to have her. He had to tell her, had to make sure she knew that she was important. With all the worrying she did about her presence in the Glade, Gally wanted to make sure she knew just how special she was.

Especially to him.

But, as he was not about to explain all that to Newt, Gally turned around and walked out of the hammock space, calling over his shoulder.

"We'll be back soon,"

Gally did not turn back to see if Newt heard him but kept walking in the direction of the pond, his towel slung over his shoulder.

The moonlight was filling up the Glade, tearing into the darkness. It sparkled off the dampness in the grass, on the flickering embers of the fire in the fire pit and reflected the ripples and waves of the pond.

Eve was sitting on the shore, fully clothed, facing the water, her head tilted into her towel as she wrung out her hair. Gally's mood instantly shifted as he caught sight of her, a small smile crossing over his face. No matter what the circumstances of the Maze, no matter how horrible the world felt right now, it was nice to know somethings wouldn't change.

At the sound of his footsteps in the grass, Eve turns her head toward him.

"You're back. How did the meeting go?"

Gally stopped dead before her, his hand poised over his towel. He had told her Minho had news, hopeful news. How was he supposed to lie to her about it? Slowly, with his face set in an odd grin, Gally stood next to her, looking over the pond, avoiding her look.

Eve watched him, waiting for an answer.

"Gally?"

Again, Gally did not respond. He merely set down his towel and took off his shirt. Turning to Eve, he looked into her eyes for a moment.

"Do you have any soap?"

Eve frowned at him, the response unexpected.

"Sure," She handed him a bar of white soap, dwindled into the shape of an oval. He took it, grimacing inwardly at the slippery feeling. Eve's eyes burned into him as he slipped out of his shorts and stepped into the freezing water, lowering himself to cover his body. Silently, he rubbed the soap over his chest, legs, arms and neck before plunging under the water to scrub the dirt from his hair. He could feel the filth come off him in waves and the water got darker around him.

He should really do this more often. Surprisingly, he didn't mind the soap as much as he thought he would, although he knew he would never hear the end of it if Newt caught the scent of rose on him.

Gally resurfaced and washed away the soapy residue before taking a deep breath. The cold water had calmed him, just like he thought. But he wished it would take away his feelings. He could not help but feel an enormous weight had been put on his shoulders.

No way out of the Maze? What was the point in it all if they couldn't get out of this place?

He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to think about it. Not anymore, not with Eve so close by. She might be able to read it off him. Taking a deep breath, Gally allowed his face to relax before turning around to walk back to Eve. She was sitting with her arms around her knees staring at the ground.

Slowly, carefully, Gally stepped back onto the shore and knelt in front of Eve. She didn't look up as he inched closer and lay his hands on her knees. Taking a deep breath, Gally looked to his left, unsure of what to say to her.

He looked back and tried to catch her eyes.

"Alby will make his announcement tomorrow,"

Eve looked up sharply, her eyes narrowed.

"It's not good, is it?"

Gally dropped his gaze. Eve would see it there, he could feel it. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and looked up again. Eve was watching him, frantic thoughts racing through her mind. His unwillingness to speak was giving him away. Frustrated, Gally gripped her knees in his fingers and looked her in the eyes.

"Minho finished the sections," He knew he would catch it from Alby if he heard him telling Eve prematurely, but that was all he had. He hated lying to her, but he didn't have a choice.

Eve looked surprised, even excited.

"The larger ones?"

Gally nodded.

"He finished them today. He just has to run the circuits,"

Eve grabbed Gally's arms, leaning closer to him.

"That means he's almost done, right?"

Gally choked inwardly, hating himself bitterly.

"Yeah, almost done,"

Eve searched his eyes, studying them. Gally pushed himself to smile for her, brightening his eyes. For a moment, she looked uncertain, as if she could tell his mood did not match his words. But she shook it off and pulled herself forward on his arms, pressing herself into Gally's bare chest. He was still only clad in his boxers, his shorts and shirt off to the side; he was still wet from the pond.

But he didn't care. He pulled Eve up and into him, wrapping his arms around her back, burying his cold nose into her neck, under her hair and holding her tightly. Eve moved her legs to sit over Gally's and he sat up, giving her room, holding her to him. Softly, he ran his fingers through her hair and held her close to his chest, resting his head on top of hers, his eyes closed. She relaxed against him and wrapped her arms around her back, pulling herself as close to him as she could. Her warmth spread throughout him and he breathed her in, the smell of wood, wind and rose petals filled his mind and he smiled.

In the still silence surrounding them at the moment, Gally stirred against her, coming back to his senses.

"Eve?"

She nestled into his chest before responding.

"Yeah?" Her voice was sleepy.

Gally shifted underneath her, curling his neck to look at her.

"Can I tell you something?" His voice was a whisper, not wanting to startle her. His gruff voice was hard to soften, but he did his best. Eve nodded her head against him and he smiled, almost feeling in a dream as he held her in his arms.

"I'm so lucky to have met you, to know you like I do. I know you think you're a mistake and I know I made you think that. I was a shank to make you believe that we didn't need you. You've done so much for us, helping with everything you can, we can do so much more with you than we could on our own. You're not a mistake. You can't be, I'll fight anyone who says differently. Because if I hadn't met you, Eve, if I hadn't taken the time to get to know you," He felt Eve shudder against him and he ducked his head to touch her cheek with his lips before he continued. "I don't think I could live in this Glade,"

A long moment passed after Gally stopped talking and he let his lips rest against Eve's neck, breathing in deeply as he waited for her to speak.

Eve didn't move, her body had stiffened. At first, Gally thought he had upset her, talking about her being a mistake. He opened his eyes against her skin and he listened.

A small sniffle. The shimmer of a tear in the moonlight.

Eve was crying.

Gally sat up and tilted Eve's chin toward him. Her eyes were closed and she was crying, small tears flowing down her cheeks. He held her chin in his thumb and forefinger and kissed her lips, gently, pulling back after a moment to see her eyes open. They were bright, wet with tears. Gally frowned.

"Are you alright?"

Eve nodded, a small smile shining through her tears.

"Of course I'm okay," Her voice wavered and she looked down. "I couldn't feel any other way," She blinked a few times and looked up at Gally. "I can't believe I mean that much to you,"

Gally smiled again and pulled Eve into a standing position, holding her loosely. She held onto his arms as if to steady herself. Smirking, Gally reached down to kiss her forehead.

"Maybe it was the soap,"

Gally ducked away as Eve slapped at him. Smiling he stepped away long enough to grab his towel, finally drying himself off, even though most of the water had evaporated. Eve shook her head at him as he pulled on his clothes.

"I here I thought you meant what you said," Her voice was light and Gally smiled at her. But he could tell she was still brimming, happy tears just now drying on her cheeks. Gally threw his towel over his shoulder again and beckoned her to follow.

"I guess I should have a bath more often,"

Eve threw her own towel at him and he caught it. She screwed up her face at him, following behind as they made their way back to the hammocks.

"We would all certainly be the better off for it,"

* * *

 **Alright, I hope you enjoyed. Feel free to leave a comment and I'm sorry if there are any editing mistakes, I rushed through that part. Thank you for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello all, this is a late update, but it's just life and it's busy. I also wanted to apologize for an abrupt ending to this chapter. I am having trouble with how I want the next part of the story to go and I can't seem to start it. So here is what I have for now and I will have the next chapter up in a week or two, hopefully, *fingers crossed* Thank you for your patience and enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Two months past. Work in the Glade went on as normal and the tiny place began to feel more like home.

As home as one could get surrounded by a Maze.

Alby followed through with his word and kept the Maze completion a secret from the Glader's. Their faith did not dwindle and the hope of the 'finished sections' gave them newfound determination. Alby hated lying to them, but he couldn't bear to steal away their trust in the Maze. He only hoped that Minho would find something more, something they could rejoice in.

Minho worked tirelessly on a sequence pattern for the Maze, taking on the newest Greenie, James, to be his new scout. The Keeper went through pattern after pattern but had not come up with anything for certain.

A new Greenie had joined the Glader's in the meantime.

Ham was solid; thick arms and thick legs and a stoic disposition. His build made him an obvious choice for Gally's team. Ham seemed happy for the distraction and he took over the heavy lifting for. Work on the Tower accelerated with the extra pair of hands and by the time Ham's first month in the Glade was up, the Tower had been completed. Alby was impressed with the speed and efficiency. Soon after, Gally began landscaping the space behind the pond, planning another building. He was determined to make some sort of house, a home for the boys to sleep in.

"I've had enough of those hammocks. I want a real bed," He explained to Alby as he laid out his plan, scratching out makeshift blueprints on some tree bark. Alby thought it was a great idea.

The Builders were taking a well deserved week off before they began the new project. The building would begin a week into the new month, the site would have to prepared and ready for construction.

The sixteenth month in the Glade was fast approaching.

One more day.

"So… do you have any idea of what it will be?"

Alby gazed out into the Glade, leaving his second in suspense of a response. Tiny flickering flames danced in the shadows behind them, a dying fire waiting to be put out. Newt held a jar of moonshine in his hands, he sat quietly beside his leader. The Glade was quiet, the evening meal over.

Alby held a piece of grass in his thumb, flicking it in and out of the moonlight.

"I don't know,"

Newt frowned, wanting more.

"It would make sense if it was another girl, right? This is Eve's eighth month in the Glade. That's definitely a pattern,"

A slight breeze brushed the blade of grass from between Alby's fingers. Unbothered, Alby ran his hand through the thick grass around them and plucked another one.

"It would be a pattern. We will find out tomorrow,"

Newt nodded, frustrated that they couldn't know for certain.

"Eve's worried,"

Alby nodded slowly, chewing on his bottom lip.

"I know. Gally told me that she's been having trouble sleeping,"

"Up most of the bloody night from what I can tell. Either that or she's gotten more restless since she first got here,"

Alby let the grass fall through his fingers, watching it settle on the ground.

"Unlikely. She knew this was going to be a deciding factor as to if she was part of a pattern of not. This isn't easy on her,"

Newt took a small sip of his drink, trying not to screw up his face as the amber fluid made it's way down his throat.

"What are you going to tell her if it's a boy?"

Alby looked down at the ground. His arms were laying over his knees, relaxed and at ease in the coolness of the night.

"Nothing has changed. Maybe she was a mistake, a slip up from whoever is in charge of all this. But we haven't been harmed by it. Eve works as hard as any of the other Glader's. I don't know what we would have done if she didn't climb the trees,"

Newt smirked, looking at the ground before he looked up at the sky.

"Gally certainly thinks highly of her,"

Alby allowed himself a small smile, shaking his head.

"I don't think Ham would believe us if we told him how Gally reacted when Eve first came up in the Box,"

Newt laughed softly, taking another sip.

"I think that shank always liked her, he just hated to admit it,"

"I don't doubt that. Eve's had quite an effect on him,"

Newt nodded, suddenly serious again.

"I think Eve is the reason Gally is such a good Keeper. If she had never come up in the Box and Gally would still be the same, hotheaded Builder he always was. She's changed him,"

Alby shook his head, laughing silently.

"Changed him for the better,"

Newt nodded in agreement. Alby continued.

"Just another reason as to why she's so essential in this Glade. That's all I can tell her if indeed there is a boy tomorrow. It'll be up to her to see the changes that she's made here, to see all the good she's done. I think it'll just take time,"

Newt agreed with a nod and finished off his drink, stretching out his legs for a moment.

"Tomorrow will be a big day for everyone. Gally's starting the new project tomorrow,"

Alby smiled, relief in his eyes.

"I think it'll do the boys some good. To have something more solid, protection from the weather. It'll make this all seem… real,"

Newt was quiet for sometime before he spoke up again.

"If we can't finish the Maze... do you think this will become a home? Something more reliable?"

Alby looked down at the ground, digesting Newt's question.

"I never wanted it to come to that, but I won't see the boys living in those hammocks forever. I won't admit defeat until I have to though,"

Newt nodded slowly, turning his head to look out into the Glade. The sun had set completely and the moon was shining overhead. Silence surrounded, everyone had turned in for the night. Newt stood up, stretching his arms over his head.

"Let tomorrow bring what it bloody may then," He knew as well as Alby that it didn't help to speculate. They could only wait and see what the day would bring. If only it wasn't so hard.

Alby stood up slowly, turning on his heel to look behind him.

"Work will go on as normal. The Box will come up past noon, I'll allow for a break, but I won't treat this day any different than the other Box days,"

Newt understood and walked around the log they had been sitting against.

"I think that would be best,"

They parted ways as Newt walked toward his hammock.

He could already see that both Gally and Eve were there. Although it looked like Eve was just about to leave for her bath. The tall second stopped short of the hammock covering and smiled.

"Not too cold for a bath I hope,"

Eve flung her towel over her shoulder, a dull kind of smile on her face as she straightened to leave. Her eyes were dark and her face hollow.

"I'll be fine," Her voice was muted as she walked out under the hammock covering. Newt turned to Gally, his eyebrow raised.

Gally sat on his hammock, his hands folded before him as he stared after Eve. He was frowning and his brow was furrowed with frustration.

"She's been like that all," It was uncommon to hear concern in Gally's voice. The blonde drummed the ground with his foot, shaking his head as moved to take off his boots. Newt ducked under the skin roof and sat down on his hammock.

"I can understand that,"

The next day dawned dull, the sun shrouded by hazy clouds. Unfortunately, the clouds did not block the sun completely as the ground was already shimmering with heat. It was not lining up to be the best day for the job construction to begin; the dampness of the ground was seeping into the air and bugs were beginning to swarm. Mugginess made the group of Builders irritable, but Gally would not allow any complaining

"The ground is uneven, we're going to have to dig out the lot we need and flatten it. I don't expect much to come out of today, but we'll make a shucking start at it. So grab a shovel and get going,"

Dan and Ham nodded, although the idea of digging in this heat did not sound pleasant and their faces showed it. They picked up a metal shovel each and stepped into the area that had been marked off.

Gally turned to face Eve, who stared back at him, expectantly.

"What am I going to do?" The edge in her voice was apparent; Eve was itching to do something, anything to be distracted. Her eyes were still dark and something about her posture worried him.

He took a deep breath to relax his face and spoke calmly.

"I want you to help Newt in the garden until we need more wood. I don't have time spot you in the Deadheads today, I need this plot levelled as quickly as possible,"

Eve frowned, looking out toward Dan and Ham.

"Can't I help dig?"

Gally smirked and shook his head.

"You haven't got the build for it, Eve,"

Eve bit her lip, thinking over his words. Her fingers were twitching, drumming against her sides as she stood before him. She hadn't slept well the night before, Gally had heard her tossing and turning most of the night. He had rolled over in the middle of the night to check on her and had found her hammock empty. Before he could get up to look for her, he had seen her walking back across the Glade, slipping into her hammock without a word. Gally had wanted to know where she had gone, why she had left, but she had slept much better upon her return, so he had let her alone.

But now, Eve was a ball of pent-up energy. She had rushed through breakfast, asking Gally if she could do anything before the boys had finished their meal. It seemed that she didn't want to stop, she didn't want to have the time to think about it.

Think about what the sixteenth member of the Glade joining them.

Eve finally let out a soft sigh and nodded.

"Is Newt expecting me?"

Gally nodded.

"I talked it over with him last night, while you were at the pond. Newt needs some weeds pulled; some of them are killing his tomatoes,"

Eve nodded slowly, not looking up at him. Gally frowned and stepped closer to her, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"He'll appreciate you taking care of them for him,"

Eve nodded again and finally looked up at Gally. She didn't say anything, but Gally could see the words in her eyes. He pulled her into him with one hand, holding her head against his chest as he looked over to see Dan and Ham's progress.

"Nothing is going to change Eve,"

Eve shuddered against him but didn't speak. Gally kissed her head and pushed her back, gesturing over his shoulder toward the garden.

"Newt's going to be waiting for you,"

Eve didn't respond as she stepped around the blonde. Gally turned on his heel to watch her go. Dan, standing next to Ham, was watching him; he must have watched the encounter. Gally scowled at him, picking up the last shovel to join them.

"We don't have all day, shank. Get digging!"

"Newt?" Eve couldn't see the scruffy headed boy anywhere as she stepped into the row of vegetables. She wondered briefly if Gally had really talked to him.

A blonde head poked out around a row of zucchini.

"Newt's going to be by later. He's talking to Alby about the supplies," Zart stepped around the plants and approached Eve, a friendly smile on his face. "I can show you where you'll be working,"

Eve didn't return the smile, merely falling into step behind him through the rows of plants. Zart turned in the middle of a row of tomatoes. He handed Eve a small gardening shovel.

"I think you'll see most of the big weeds, you'll just have to dig for a few. Once you're done, you can take all the weeds out behind the peas. There's a small barrel where we put the waste in,"

Eve took the shovel and nodded.

"Thank you, Zart,"

He must have heard the hollowness in her voice, but he only smiled again, watching her closely.

"I'll be around the other side if you need any help. There's also some water two rows down in another bucket if you get thirsty," He shut his mouth for a moment before continuing. "I think Newt wanted to say be careful about the heat… you know, this time," Zart shrugged apologetically with his last statement.

Eve felt her cheeks burn, but she only nodded absently, eager to get on with the work.

"Thank you, I'll be more careful,"

Zart nodded, looking relieved.

"Call if you need anything,"

Zart stepped around her and turned behind the next row. Eve knelt into the dirt, which was soft and tilled, making it very impressionable at the weight of her body. The weeds were very obvious, the larger ones were wrapping around the stems of the tomatoes, making it hard for them to grow. Eve took hold of one and followed it down to the source, digging at the earth around it to widen a hole. Soon, she was able to easily pull the weed out by its roots, making sure that none of the tendrils were still attached in the ground. Setting the weed aside, Eve followed the next one down to the ground and began the same process over.

She could see right away that this was not going to take very long and she hoped that Newt would have something for her to do afterwards. Sitting around to wait… to wait for the Box and the sixteenth member. Eve couldn't do it, she would rather be worked to the bone than have time to wait and wonder. She had had enough time for that this last month. Today was finally the day and she just wanted it to be over.

At least, either way, she would know. She had either been made for this Maze or had been an error on someone else's part. After all the worry she'd struggled through, she just wanted it to be known; she didn't care which one it was. At least… she hoped she wouldn't care.

Zart was on the other side of the vines, his electric blonde hair shining in the sun through the leaves. He was tying a long length of twine to one of the stacks; Eve wasn't sure if he was reinforcing or making room to add another. Newt had done most of the work on the garden when Eve was new to the Glade, but now that Zart was Keeper, he had a completely different method. Whenever Newt was in the garden, there was sometimes a clash in opinions, but Newt respected Zart's authority in the new position and more often than not, Zart got his way.

Looking at him now, Eve realized she hadn't spoken much to Zart in her time in the Glade. But it was easy to see that he was a solid worker and took the growing of the Glade's food seriously. It was no small task to keep the garden in check and Zart was always there.

Eve pulled another weed out and added it to her pile. As she picked at the next one, she spoke up.

"Zart?"

The boy looked up through the branches, meeting her eyes and smiling.

"Need something?" He was so cheerful, eager to be helpful. Eve wanted to smile, but couldn't. She shook her head, looking down again to check the weed that she had just pulled.

"Not really, I just wanted to ask you something," Eve could feel her cheeks flushing again and she shook herself before looking up at the Keeper. He looked curious, his hands still tangled in twine as he watched her, eyes full of gentle encouragement.

"Go ahead,"

Eve rearranged her pile and started on another weed.

"Do you ever… I mean, I guess it's different for you, but do you ever wonder if you're not meant to be here?"

Zart looked confused and Eve kicked herself. Of course, he doesn't! He's not the only boy here. Eve tried again.

"I mean… do you ever think that maybe you weren't meant to be picked for this? Like maybe there was another boy that was supposed to come after Clint, but you were sent up instead?"

Eve couldn't help thinking she was instilling doubt in Zart, unintentionally.

His expression was unreadable for a moment as he turned back to his work. After a while, he looked back at her.

"I don't think I have. I don't know how I would ever find out. Besides, I've never felt like I belong here in general," Zart gestured around the Glade with his pruning knife, turning back to Eve with an apologetic look on his face. "I don't know if that helps you,"

Eve shook her head.

"It's alright. I didn't really know what I was trying to ask… ," Her voice trailed off, her eyes pricking with tears. She looked down at her weeds, desperately trying to count them out before she lost herself to thought.

A rustling of leaves caused her to look up. Zart was leaning closer, his face clearly defined in the sunlight.

"I don't think it's much use wondering one way or the other. I'm here, you're here, we're all here. We all work and we all do our best,"

Eve wasn't sure if Zart knew why she was asking him, but he seemed to want to ease her mind regardless. She nodded, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.

"I think you're right. Thank you,"

Zart smiled and nodded.

"Anytime. Need anything else?"

Eve shook her head.

"No, no it's fine. You've given me all I need for now,"

* * *

 **Alright, so the next chapter will continue on the same day, when the Box actually comes up. I just didn't have enough room to fit it in properly. So this is a little choppy, but I will get back to it! I hope you enjoyed and feel free to leave a review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello all, I am sorry this has taken this long to get up. I have a new job and I don't have as much free time to work on these stories. I'll keep up as much as I can, but the updates will not be as punctual anymore. I will finish the story though, we're getting close!**

* * *

The sound of the Box caused all work to stop in the Glade. Noon had come and gone, the sun beating high in the sky.

Eve felt her heart begin to thump in her chest, her stomach clenching into little knots as she put down her gardening tools.

This was it, it was time. The sixteenth member of the Glade was about to join them. It would either be a boy or a girl... Eve just wanted it over.

Zart, who had been working not far from her, put down his tools as well, starting toward the Box out of the garden.

"It's a little late today,"

Eve stood up as well, her stomach strangling her insides. She had noticed that; those extra few minutes had been torture to her. Was something truly different about today? Would it be a girl in that Box? Or was it merely late today? The questions plagued her.

Zart turned back to beckon Eve from where he stood at the end of the garden.

"Come on, everyone's already there,"

Eve swallowed nervously and jogged out of the garden. The hole in the ground where the Box came up was swarmed with the rest of the Glader's peering down as the metal cage made its ascent. Zart didn't wait for her as he joined the crowd, standing next to Jeff and Clint on the left side. Eve approached carefully, holding a hand to her stomach as she got closer. Newt, who had been talking to Alby behind the crowd, caught sight of her as she stopped on the fringe. He spoke a few hushed words to Alby and started toward her, a smile on his face as he stopped next to her.

"I'm sorry I never made it around to the garden, love, it's been a busy day. How are you feeling?" His question was genuine, his eyes curious.

Before Eve could answer him, she felt a hand on her back.

Gally, his Builders mixing into the crowd, wrapped his arms around Eve and lay his head on Eve's. She nodded briefly to Newt as a reply before closing her eyes and turning to Gally. He kissed her forehead, very softly.

"You'll be alright, no matter what happens. Nothing will change," He spoke so gently, taking the time to kiss her forehead one more time. Eve nodded her head, wishing she could believe him. Gally held her close for a moment and then stepped away, pushing through the crowd.

Newt took a step closer after Gally left.

"You're alright then?"

Eve nodded slowly, not fully knowing how to respond. The sound of the Box was getting louder and the ground was beginning to vibrate. Eve turned and felt her body tense as the Box came into sight. It rattled for a moment before it stopped completely. The doors swung upward and down as the Box opened. Eve held her breathe as everyone leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the new Greenie.

The sunlight was bright that day and it took some squinting to distinguish the shapes inside the Box, but it soon became clear as they adjusted to the light. A figure sat opposite Eve and Newt, shielding its face from the sun. The figure turned it's head and looked up at them.

It was a boy. A brown haired, olive toned, broad-shouldered boy.

Eve felt nothing at first. The worry and anxiety that had berated her for months now subsided all in an instant. She felt weak for a moment and took a tiny step back.

It was a boy, the sixteenth member was a boy. She had not been part of a pattern, she may not have been part of this Maze.

A sudden need to be gone, out of the heat, away from the boys came over her and she took another step back. The boys were leaning closer, whispering and gesturing to each other. A few looked her way; Winston glanced at her for a moment and Dan tilted around Ham to look at her. Alby, who had stepped forward to greet the newcomer, cast his eyes over her before kneeling down before the Box. Eve felt Newt's hand on her shoulder, suddenly, squeezing comfortingly.

The Glader's attention was recaptured again as Gally jumped down into the Box. He helped the Greenie up and pushed him toward the side, helping him up and out of the Box. The boy, his brown eyes wide with shock, did not seem to be afraid, although he was definitely not in his element. He took Alby's outstretched hand and looked around him as Alby introduced himself. The Glader's started greeting him, welcoming him to the Glade. It was standard procedure, everything was normal.

Eve took another step back, Newt's hand fell off her shoulder and he looked back at her.

"Eve, love, what's wrong?" His eyebrow was furrowed

Eve shook her head, backing up slowly away from the Box.

"I can't... I can't be here," Newt turned around and took a step closer. Eve shook her head again and turned on her heel. She started walking away; there was no hurry in her step, she simply kept going, walking away from the crowd, toward the trees.

"Eve!"

Newt turned back to see Gally working his way through the crowd toward him, his eyes on Eve. The new Greenie was following Alby and the Med Jack's back to their hut. The excitement seemed to be over, the new Greenie calm despite the newness and mystery of his surroundings. Newt grabbed hold of Gally's arm before he could get further.

"Let her go, Gally. I think she needs some time,"

Gally turned back and shook off his hand, squaring up to him with a frown.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Newt gestured around him.

"I mean that she's the only girl among this bloody lot of boys. Now there's another one! This was supposed to be a shucking pattern! If you go after her, you're only going to make it worse.

Gally looked ready to smack Newt. By now, a few of the other boys gathered around to see what would happen between the second and the Keeper of the Builders. Gally towered over Newt, a scowl on his face.

"I would make her feel worse? I'm the only one who can comfort her right now!"

"Exactly! She doesn't need comfort! She doesn't need you to coddle her! She needs to figure this out, decide what she's going to believe. Maybe she was a mistake, never supposed to be there, no one knows it for certain. She's going to have to decide if she's going to continue seeing herself as a mistake or as an added asset to the Glade. No one can make that decision for her, especially you! You're biased and she knows it!"

Gall leaned forward, his hands curling into fists.

"I'm not gonna leave her alone out there forever, she'll think I abandoned her!"

Newt stepped back from Gally. He wasn't intimidated by the giant blonde, but he sure didn't like being that close to him.

"I'll go after her. You have a job to do. You're still a Keeper,"

Gally fumed for a moment, flexing his hands slowly. He looked over to where Ham and Dan were standing, watching the argument unfold. He scowled and turned back to Newt. Straightening, he folded his arms over his chest and took a step back toward his Builders.

"Fine,"

Newt could tell that he wanted to say more. He wanted assurance that Eve would be alright, that she wouldn't feel alone. But Gally wouldn't say more in front of his Builders, or any of the other Glader's. Newt gave him a nod, hoping that Gally understood that he would take care of Eve. Turning back to the Glader's, Newt spoke sternly to them.

"I'm sure you all have jobs to get back to. You shanks have seen enough, get on with your bloody day!"

The boys shrugged and shuffled, as if bored and broke away, heading off in all directions. Without another word Gally, started striding across the Glade, back to the plot of dirt. Dan and Ham followed, at a reasonably safe distance. Newt watched them go before starting toward the garden. He would check in with Zart before he went after Eve. She still needed time.

* * *

Newt was not very familiar with the Deadheads, he had only really been among them in the early months of the Glade. The stretch of trees almost seemed endless, but fortunately, it was open enough that Newt knew he would not miss Eve. He simply continued walking until he began to recognize his surroundings. The dip in the ground and the twisted trees. He would hit the back of the Wall soon.

Hank's burial ground, the end of the Deadheads.

Eve had come this far?

Newt walked over the ridge, looking down toward the sacred place. Sure enough, Eve was sitting up against the wall of the Maze, her face hidden in her arms, wrapped around her knees. Newt could not tell if she had heard him coming, but he continued down the slope until he stood directly in front of Hank's memorial. Four small flowers lay before it, seemingly fresh from what Newt could tell. He glanced up, looking over his eyebrows at Eve.

She hadn't moved since his arrival, so he decided he would have to make the first move.

"You came pretty shucking far to get away,"

Eve lifted her head, looking up at Newt passively. She seemed calm, almost peaceful.

"No one's come to visit him since he was buried," Her voice was quiet, laden with shed tears. Tears stained her cheeks, but the emotions had passed. "It seemed right,"

Newt nodded slowly, stepping around the little marker to stand in front of Eve. She looked at the ground at his feet. Silence passed between them and surprisingly, Eve was the first to break it.

"You didn't have to come,"

Newt grunted, turning around to look into the trees, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"Gally didn't want you left alone,"

Eve looked up at him, confused. Newt smiled sympathetically.

"Poor shank wanted to come after you himself. Figured you wouldn't want him smothering you right now,"

Eve smirked softly and looked back down.

"I know what he thinks. I know he thinks it doesn't matter, but...," Eve's voice trailed off and Newt picked it up for her.

"But he doesn't understand?"

Eve shook her head, looking back up at Newt.

"He doesn't really see the problem. If he were the only guy in a Glade full of girls, maybe it would be different,"

Newt frowned.

"So you still think you're some kind of mistake?"

Eve flinched but didn't look away.

"The Greenie was a boy. The sixteenth member. There's no pattern. I suppose it could be every year... that would be a pattern. Or every other year...,"

Newt shook his head, frankly disappointed. He took a step closer and sat down next to Eve, leaning his back against the stone; it felt warm despite the lack of sunlight back here.

"You can't keep this up Eve,"

Eve didn't respond, so Newt kept going.

"Maybe there isn't a pattern, maybe it was a one-time thing. That doesn't necessarily mean it was a mistake,"

"But we can't know for certain,"

"I know that, everyone knows that. We can't know anything for certain, except for one thing,"

Eve tilted her head to the side to look at Newt. He did the same and met her gaze, a friendly, yet stern look on his face.

"None of us should be here. It's not bloody natural,"

Eve frowned and looked away.

"But why all boys and one girl?"

Newt shook his head, becoming tired of the same old conversation.

"We can't know. I think it's time you accept that. No matter what you think, mistake or not, you've been as much help as the next shank around here. You have to decide if you're going to hinder us and yourself by chalking yourself up as a mistake or buck up and move on. There's no shucking point in wallowing over it, you'll only make yourself sick. You've done that already, it's not what the Glade needs,"

Eve didn't look up. Her eyes were closed and she sat very still. Newt sighed through his nose and looked over at her. He couldn't tell if she was thinking or worrying again. Rolling his eyes, Newt reached an arm around her shoulders and scouted a little closer to her.

"I'm not saying all this to make you feel bad. But don't you think it's time you move on? Own your place here?"

Eve opened her eyes, sighing quietly.

"It really doesn't matter that much, does it?"

Newt smiled, shaking her shoulder comfortingly.

"Not at all. You've got better things to do, the Glade has better uses for you. Besides, maybe this mistake will be to our favour. Maybe you're the only one who can get us out of here," He rubbed her shoulder and she smiled, shaking her head to the thought.

For a few moments, they sat together in silence. Both of them with their own thoughts, until finally, Eve spoke up.

"Do you think we're going to lose anyone else?"

Newt, his head resting on the stone with his eyes closed, opened an eye to look down at her.

"Lose them?" Her words had come out of the blue.

Eve gestured before them, toward the memorial.

"Do you think anyone else will die?"

Newt swallowed quietly before replying, his voice heavy.

"Hank didn't die,"

Eve nodded, her eyes dark.

"I know... but still, he's gone. The Runners risk his fate every day and there are a number of things in the Glade that could kill someone,"

"Why so bloody morbid all of a sudden?" Newt was shocked Eve even had to ask. Of course, there was always a risk in an accident being dangerous enough, a fever getting worse instead of better.

Eve shifted upward and Newt brought his arm back. She leaned forward, her brow furrowed in thought.

"I don't know. Being here, around his grave. I can't help wonder if we'll have to do this often. I don't want to, losing Hank was hard enough," Eve's eyes became misted. "I guess I just wonder what would happen if we lost Minho or you or Alby. Alby's like a father to everyone here, I can't imagine what it would be like if he weren't here,"

"So don't imagine it. He's still here, everyone's here. We do what we can to be safe, despite the risk. You're at risk too, you know,"

Eve nodded, seeming to take in his words slowly, digesting them in time.

"I wouldn't want to lose any of you,"

Newt nudged her elbow lightly.

"We wouldn't want to lose you either, Eve,"

Eve smiled gently and looked at the ground. She was quiet again, seeming to be out of words. Newt leaned his head back against the stone.

The afternoon was coming to a close, the sun was beginning its downward journey. The evening meal would be getting underway soon.

"We'd best be heading back, you know," Newt spoke with his eyes closed, not at all in a hurry. "There's still a lot to be done today, plus it's the Greenie's celebration dinner tonight,"

Eve leaned back against the stone, copying Newt's position.

"I suppose you couldn't let me stay here until it's all finished. I'm not exactly in the mood to celebrate,"

Newt shook his head, understanding but firm.

"We should be there. Every Greenie needs the support of the Glade. It's only a meal; besides Fry Pan always makes something good for the greenshanks. It's not worth missing,"

With that, he heaved himself up and turned to help Eve up. She brushed the dirt off her shorts before she began following him out of the valley.

"I don't think I mind missing my own celebration dinner. Eating was the last thing on my mind,"

Newt smirked.

"Your loss, it was delicious,"

Eve rolled her eyes as she followed him through the trees. After a moment, she turned back as she walked, catching one last glance of Hank's grave. She decided that she would come back, visit more often.

Hank would like that.

* * *

The sun had set and work was set aside for the day. The Runners had returned just before the last of the light had disappeared. Minho disappeared into the Deadheads with Alby and the two did not come back until the evening meal started. Ben and James didn't say much when questions were put to them, merely that Minho had to discuss something with Alby about the larger Maze sections. The mood among the boys was tainted by the lack of hope the Runners brought back, but they soon set it aside as the feast of the new Greenie began.

Fry Pan had cooked up a hearty meal of roasted goat, fried chicken and a myriad of fresh, steamed vegetables. The food was incredible and the laughter and conversation around the fire soon returned to its normal lighthearted banter. The new Greenie, his eyes still wide and his demeanour still quiet, sat between Winston and Dan, inspecting a jar of moonshine carefully. Despite the encouragement for him to drink it, the Greenie declined, wise to the smell of alcohol. Disappointed, the boys tried instead to get the newcomer up and into the Fight Ring. It took some doing, but he finally agreed and tested his strength against Ben.

The Fight Ring champion, Gally, was sitting this night out, his mind too clouded to think about fighting. He sat close to the fire, Eve by his side. He kept a hand on her knee, almost clamping it, keeping a jar close to his lips as he watched the fight proceed. He had attached himself to her soon after the day had been called, hardly letting her out of his sight.

Eve could sense he was upset. He had not been able to be there for her today and it killed him. But she understood, she knew his efforts had been put in elsewhere. She leaned her head on his shoulder, her nose to his muscle as the fight progressed.

"Gally," Her voice was soft.

Gally didn't turn, taking another sip of his moonshine and grasping tighter to her leg; maybe he thought she meant to leave. Eve almost smiled, sensing his frustration a mile away.

"Gally, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me anymore. Newt told me why he came, why you stayed away. I think he was right, I needed to hear what he had to say,"

Gally frowned, still looking straight ahead. He took another drink before responding.

"You needed him,"

Eve shook her head, moving closer to Gally.

"No, I didn't need him. I needed him to talk some sense into me. That's what he did,"

Gally nodded his head, still feeling distant.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Did it work?"

Eve smiled and lifted her head.

"I know it did. I was letting the idea consume me. I've been worried for months and for what? It didn't get me anywhere. Even if I did learn the truth if I was a mistake or not, would it change anything?"

Gally's hold on the glass tightened.

"That's what I told you,"

Eve nodded, suddenly feeling guilty. Gally was feeling replaced. He had told her time and time again that it wouldn't matter. But she had needed something firmer.

"I know you did. I'm sorry I didn't believe you," She smiled and ducked her head, wrapping her hand around Gally's bicep. "I think I needed Newt's unbiased opinion, to hear it from someone who doesn't really know me,"

Gally didn't move, his hold on the glass remained the same and his gaze did not waver. Eve looked up at him.

"I think your problem is that you care too much for me. I can't take everything you say at face value. You love me too much,"

Gally's face flushed and he took another sip, looking around the fire to see if anyone had heard.

"Sure, let all these shanks know," His voice had deepened.

Eve smiled again, knowing that she had irked him, but also that he had forgiven the incident. She leaned over to kiss his cheek and he scowled, even as his cheeks got redder.

"I'll never hear the end of this. The slintheads can see us, you know,"

Eve laughed gently, shaking her head as she settled back to sitting close, but not too close. Gally was still scowling, but his hand never left her knee and he wouldn't let her get too far away. Eve was content, closing her eyes as she breathed in the scent of the good food and the warmth of the flames. She was feeling better than she had in months. The worry and fear were gone, replaced by determination and a sense of pride. She was part of this Glade, there was no denying that. Maybe she wasn't supposed to have been, but she was and there was nothing that could change that now.

The night seemed to last for hours, the food making its rounds again and again. More and more of the boys challenged each other and Gally was finally persuaded to make an entrance. He fought Winston, Dan, Ham, Newt and even the new Greenie, but his title remained undefeated. The scuffles continued and soon all the boys had a scratch or bruise somewhere. Only when the cold began to get to them did they pack it up. Tomorrow was a new day and a good night's sleep was in order.

Gally let Eve go down to the pond by herself but met her on the way back. It felt more like being cornered as he bore down on her. Gally took her hands, pulling her close to him

"Stay with me tonight," His request seemed simple, his eyes full of earnest. Eve didn't quite understand him though as she pulled him along back toward the hammocks.

"I'm not going anywhere, I'll be right beside you,"

Gally caught up to her and took hold of her arms.

"No, I mean stay beside me. I don't want there to be that much space between us tonight,"

Eve looked up into his eyes. They were pleading.

"What about Newt?" She bit her lip, surely he would find the closeness awkward.

Gally dismissed the thought.

"That shank is asleep already, he won't care,"

"He can't have an opinion on something he doesn't know about,"

Gally rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he looked over his shoulder. Without warning, he turned back and bent down, taking Eve up in his arms, picking her up and carrying her.

"I'll carry you in with me if I have to,"

Eve stifled a squeal and pushed against his shoulder.

"Alright, alright, put me down,"

Gally smiled, although only partially. He set her down right outside the covering. Eve shook her head at him and ducked under. She set down her towel and soap under her own hammock as Gally sat down to take off his boats. He reached out to Eve and pulled her close to him, letting her stand between his legs.

"Thank you," His voice was a whisper and Eve lay her head on his forehead, her eyes closed. Gally kissed her nose and laid back into his hammock. Eve slid in beside him, trying not to make too much noise. Gally threw his blanket over the both of them, wrapped his arms around Eve and buried his head in her hair. Eve wriggled down until she could let her head rest on Gally's chest, his hand coming up to wrap around her head. Eve let out a long breath as she began to relax, her eyes closing. The rhythmic rise and fall of Gally's chest calmed her and soon enough, they were both asleep.

* * *

 **Alright, I don't know when I'll get another chapter up. I haven't started and I have to revamp after the break. I hope you enjoyed this part and feel free to leave a review! Thank you for reading!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello all, I am sorry this took so long in coming. This is a different sort of chapter for this story, it's a little faster pace than I normally go. But I needed to get to this point and I've been dragging it out for some time now. So here it is, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Months passed. The comings and going in the Glade fell into normality. A routine began to develop and everyone had a place.

More boys came up in the Box. They were assimilated into the Glade and given a job. The Keeper's teams grew larger. The Trackhoes, Runners, Builders, Cooks and Slicers. Work began to get done easier with more hands in the mix.

The large housing building that Gally had his team working was coming along nicely. He estimated that it would be finished within the year.

A small group of two from his team also worked on a slaughterhouse for Winston and his group. It was only going to take a few months and Gally wasn't worried about the set back on his bigger project.

Minho's team had grown as well. He had added an additional two boys to his team of Runners. They had begun to team up in the Maze, covering more ground in a day. Minho did not share the information that the Maze was finished with his team, only Ben knew the real truth.

Alby and New continued to maintain order and things seemed to be going smoothly. Morale was fairly high with the false knowledge of more discovery made of the Maze and Alby was determined to keep it that way.

Things were finally looking up in the Glade.

* * *

"How many?"

Gally glanced up into the tree, squinting in the sunlight.

"Thirty, maybe more if you can find them. Stop standing like that!"

His voice carried through the tree branches and leaves, up to where Eve stood, precariously on a branch. She was on tiptoes, something Gally had warned her about again and again. She had fallen out of a tree not a week ago; the left side of her ribcage had been badly bruised, but she hadn't sustained any other injuries and the Med Jacks had sent her back out for climbing the next day. Gally was even more anal about safety now.

Eve cut off a branch she had been working on, tossed it down to him and readjusted her position.

"This branch isn't slippery, I'll be fine,"

"That's what you said the last time," Gally shook his head, hands on his hips. He counted the branches on the ground behind him. Half of what he needed was already there, but he wanted to get a head start for the day. The Homestead, as it had been deftly named, needed walls and soon. The other half of Gally's team was busy at the work site, chopping large tree trunks into planks. The branches were going to be used for supports, pillars and whatever else Gally could think of. The Keeper was determined to get the walls up and finished in three weeks.

"How many do you have already?" Eve was working on another branch, talking over her shoulder to him.

Gally counted again, just to be sure.

"Twenty. It's enough for today and maybe some for tomorrow. If you can get it done in the next hour, I'll have you working on twine for the rest of the day. We'll come out tomorrow and do the same thing,"

Eve didn't respond as she tossed down another branch. She had given up warning Gally about each one. He knew to watch for them and get out of the way when he needed to.

"When are you getting Ham and Dan back?"

"Winston told me they were almost finished. Probably by next week, that's if the shuckface doesn't decide to give them shanks another odd job to do," Gally growled.

Winston had been milking the Builders dry, seeming to come up with another task each day, on top of building him a Slaughterhouse. But Alby was fairly determined to let him have his way; cutting up the animals out in the heat was becoming a problem.

Eve tossed down two more branches and started down the tree.

"I think this one is done for. I've picked it clean,"

Gally squinted up at her again, watching her climb down.

"You've been through this whole forest and back, I'm not surprised you're starting to find empty trees,"

He stepped up to the tree to help her make the last jump, catching her easily in his arms. He set her down, but not without a kiss to her forehead.

"We'd have a lot more bruised ribs if you hadn't come along last year,"

Eve rolled her eyes and pushed him away, but she was smiling.

"You say that every time you've had too much of your filthy moonshine,"

Gally scowled at her, his hands back on his hips.

"Filthy? That stuffs the only thing worth getting through the day. You'd know if you ever gave it a proper try,"

Eve made a gagging sound and started walking toward the next tree. They were on the far side of the Deadheads, closer to the wall than then normal. It was becoming more and more usual now, the trees were looking thinner each month.

Gally followed close behind her, ready to spot.

"As long as you know you're needed,"

Eve gave him a side look as she started up the next tree.

"I got it,"

Gally backed off, allowing Eve her space. He turned back to his pile, picked up a few sticks and started cleaning them off.

Eve had forgotten all about her being the only girl, often saying that there weren't enough hours in the day to be worrying about stuff like that, there was too much work to do. It was doing wonders for her, she had gained a lot of muscle and finally, some much-needed weight. Some of the Builders often teased her about not being a skinny girl anymore, but she was quick to set them in their place.

"All this muscle will only make it more painful when I punch you in the face, shuckface,"

It was now common knowledge that Gally and Eve were together. But Gally didn't care, he didn't let it turn him soft. He was still one of the most feared Keepers in the Glade and he intended to keep it that way.

The hour passed by swiftly and soon enough, Eve had cut down thirty-five more branches, enough for two days. Gally gathered up all he could, as did Eve, the rest would be picked up later on in the day. With their hull in tow, the two of them walked back toward the work sight. The rest of the Builders, not including Ham and Dan, were working hard. Several tree trunks were strewn around the ground, waiting to be cut into planks. Eric was busy shaving the bark off, while Arnold and Boulder, the newest additions to the team of Builders, were cutting planks off the blad trees with long, rusty saws.

Gally gestured toward the garden as he walked toward his site.

"Drop your branches off and grab the twine from Newt, I told him I would need it for this afternoon, he's probably got it tied off by now,"

Eve gave him a look.

"He better actually know about it this time,"

Gally mocked her expression and scowled at her.

"So I forgot to mention it, big deal. We still got our twine,"

Eve winked at him and jogged on ahead, dropping her load off beside Eric. She started off toward the gardens, sticking her tongue out as Gally as she passed him.

He waved her off, barely holding back a smile.

"Little shank,"

Eric looked up as Gally approached.

"Did you get enough branches?"

Gally was about to scowl at him as well, caught up in joking around with Eve. But he caught himself and nodded to Eric, rather curtly.

"Of course, we wouldn't be back if we didn't,"

Eric opened his mouth to reply, but Gally walked passed him, scattering bark with his foot.

"Keep the area clean, this isn't a pig sty,"

Eric watched him walk away, confused and shocked.

* * *

"Please tell me Gally told you about the twine this time,"

Eve was still smiling when she ran into Newt in the gardens, face first in a plant laden with tomatoes. He leaned back at the sound of her voice, a devilish smile on his face.

"Bloody Builder, some Keeper, eh?" He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "It's by the tools at the end of the row. Zart had it done up earlier this morning,"

Eve put her hands together and gave a small, mock bow.

"Thank you, Newt,"

"Just promise you'll give Gally a hard time for me,"

"Will do!"

Eve jogged passed him and turned around the corner at the end of row. Several gardening tools were laying in the grass, as well as two bundles twine, camouflaged in the green grass.

Eve picked them up and tossed them over her shoulder.

A loud, unearthly scream rent the air.

Eve dropped the twine, her heart leaping out of her chest. Newt's head popped out of the bushes, alert and worried, turning his head to look around. He caught sight of Eve, at the end of the row, and gestured wildly.

"Move!" His hissed. Eve, who had been looking over the stalks, jumped at his words. She moved back toward him.

"What is it?" She felt her blood rushing through her veins, flinching as another scream split the air.

Newt grabbed at her, his fingers wrapping around her shirt, and pushed her to the ground, standing over her like a pointer dog.

"I don't know, stay low," His voice was tense, on edge.

Eve looked between the stalks of tomatoes, staying low as Newt had said, following his eyes toward the entrance to the Maze.

Minho had just run through the Door, back into the Glade; it was midday, what was he doing back? Two of his runners were close behind them, another scream followed them, hollow and strangled.

Eve's first thought was a Griever, but it didn't sound like a Griever cry. Besides, they had never come into the Glade before. But what else could it be?

Newt stood up, slowly. He began walking toward the end of the garden, his eyes never leaving the Maze Door. He glanced at Eve out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't move, not until we know what's going,"

Eve opened his mouth to protest, but he held up his hand up like a stop sign, his eyes dark, the conversation over. Eve closed her mouth and ducked back down, out of sight.

Newt gave her one last look and disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Gally's head shot up like a bullet from a gun. The scream echoed off the walls, ricochetting around the Glade.

He saw Minho run in from the Door, followed closely by his Runners. Gally instantly became on guard.

"Eric" He shouted across the clearing, waiting for the brown haired Builder to look up. "Get yourselves and the Builders into the Deadheads, stay in the fringers. If you run into Winston and his group with Ham, bring them with you. Don't come out until we've made it all clear,"

Eric looked confused, a question on his lip, but one look from Gally and he became submissive. He gestured to Boulder and Arnold. The three of them ducked behind the work site, in the direction of the Slaughterhouse.

Gally made sure they were gone before he started running toward the Door. He saw Newt moving in the same direction, his lame leg slowing him only a little. Alby was running from the cookhouse, meeting up with them in the middle of the Glade.

"What's going on?" He was hardly out of breath, but his chest rose and fell as if he had been running for miles.

Newt kept moving, toward the Door to where Minho was peering into the Maze; the Keeper looked very worried.

"Don't know. Gonna find out,"

Gally fell into pace behind the two leaders.

Minho saw them coming. He waved them back, his eyes wide.

"What is it, Minho?" Alby stopped a few feet away, waiting for a report. Newt stopped a few feet closer, counting off the Runners.

"Where is Michael?"

Before Minho could answer, Little, one of the new Runners, moved away from the Door.

"He's coming out! He's coming!"

Minho grabbed hold of James, the closest to him, and tossed him away from the Door, gesturing for everyone to follow suit. Minho stayed behind, his eyes on the Door.

"What's happened Minho?" Alby was growing impatient, the frustration clear in his voice.

"It's Michael, he was stung!" Minho didn't even look at Alby as he answered.

Another scream split the air, closer than before. Everyone's eyes fixed upon the Door.

A figure appeared at the entrance to the Maze, unsteady on his feet.

His eyes were bloodshot, his skin unnaturally pale. A large, black hole gaped over the top of his chest; soiled blood poured down his shirt and his arms were blackened from the mess. His face was twisted into an odd, wider than normal, smile. His neck was held at a jagged angle and his hands were grabbing at nothing.

Alby moved back a few more paces, spreading out his hands as a protective shield.

"When was he stung? What happened?" He spoke under his breath, only those closet to him heard.

Minho was breathing heavily, his hands shaking.

"Just half an hour ago, he was running with James. The Griever stung him and left, James was bringing him back when he started getting violent,"

Alby stared at the Greenie, never taking his eyes off him. Michael stood like a statue, his eyes moving back and forth to look at them. A sound came out of his mouth, something between a cackle and giggle.

"They can see you. They've been watching us,"

Alby put up his hand, a warning.

"Stay where you are Michael. We're going to help you,"

Michael's head lolled to the side. He smiled again, the wrinkles on his face rippling out to his cheekbones; he looked deranged.

"Help me? I don't need help. I can see. I can see them,"

Gally moved closer to Alby, his eyes on the Runner; he spoke quietly into his leader's ear.

"We have to surround him, we can't let him get out of our sight,"

Alby nodded, slowly, discreetly. He nodded his head to Newt and Minho. Both of them nodded back and Minho gestured for his Runners to move forward.

"Form a circle, move in, one step at a time," The Runner's obeyed him, forming a loose, semi-circle around the Door of the Maze, keeping their movements slow and relaxed.

Michael whipped his head around, this way and that.

"It's no use, they'll see you,"

Gally scowled, falling into place between Alby and Minho.

"This shank is crazier than Hank,"

"Slim it, Gally," Alby hissed.

The Runners took another step and then another. Michael didn't move away, nor did he look frightened, he simply looked on. He stumbled a few steps back and then forward as if he had lost his balance; he smiled and laughed.

"This is your plan? This isn't a plan.. this is insanity. They'll see, they'll see you. They're watching us,"

Alby nodded to Newt again, waving him forward. The second moved around a few of the Runners, placing himself on the outside of the circle.

Gally saw what he was doing and he hardened his stance, ready to catch the Runner if he bolted the other way.

Michael stumbled again, closer to Gally this time.

"So many eyes, everywhere... everywhere," Fresh black blood oozed out of his wound, sliding thickly down his shirt and onto the ground.

Gally watched Newt. He was walking slowly behind the circle, toward the far right, keeping his eyes on Michael.

Another few steps and they were only a few feet from Michael. He watched them, the smile on his face, almost clownish.

Alby raised his hand and they all stopped.

Newt froze, now at least two feet away from the group, out of eyesight from the diseased Runner.

Michael simply stared.

Alby dropped his hand, the Runners moved forward, a scare tactic. Newt came in from the right, leaping right for Michael.

Michael had appeared dormant, simply out of his mind, but at the sudden attack, he changed on a dime. Just as Newt was about to tackle him, Michael ducked, twirled around on the heel of his foot and slammed his fist straight into Newt's stomach.

The second in command reeled back, gasping for air. He fell to the ground, heavily, a hand held to his stomach. Michael was quick, like an eel escaping capture. Before anyone else could grab him, he had jumped over Newt, out toward the left and into the Glade, towards the gardens.

Alby halted the Runners and dropped to his knee beside Newt, grabbing hold of his arms.

"Are you alright Newt?"

Newt, hand still clasping his stomach, tried to stand, waving Alby off.

"Get after him, go!"

Alby pressed a hand to Newt's chest, stopping him from rising.

"In a minute, are you hurt?"

Newt pushed Alby away, his eyes wide.

"He can't get the gardens; Eve's in there! He's headed right toward her!"

Gally was gone before Newt finished his sentence.

* * *

Eve sat with her back to the tomatoes, listening. She hadn't heard anything after Newt had left, the screaming had stopped.

She had tried looking toward the Maze Door, trying to detect what was wrong. She had seen Gally, Newt and Alby standing around it, as well as Minho and his Runners, but she didn't see anything else, nothing seemed to be wrong.

But she couldn't move, Newt had told her to stay where she was. Maybe there was nothing to worry about, but Newt was still second in command and she would be punished if she disobeyed.

She ran her hands through the grass, plucking at some of the fresher blades. Thoughts were running through her mind, but she tried not to imagine the worse. If it had been a Griever, there would be a lot more commotion coming from Door. Someone would have come to get her, right?

She couldn't see any of the Builders, the Track Hoes, the Cooks or the Slicers. Did they know what was happening?

She looked over her shoulder again, straining to see something; anything.

"The odd one out," The drawn, slick voice made Eve jump and she whipped her head around, instantly on guard.

It was Michael, the Greenie; she recognized him as one of the newest Runners on Minho's team. He stood down the row of vegetables, staring at her. He held a rusty knife in his hands, the handle stained with black gunk.

He smiled a crooked, insane sort of smile and stepped into the garden, toward her.

"They've seen you. They know you. They know what you are,"

Eve scurried back from him, terror racing through her veins.

Had he been stung?

He tilted his head as he stared at her, continuing toward her.

"One girl, among so many boys. It can't be a mistake, can it?"

Eve moved back, her arms out behind her to stand up. Micael suddenly picked up his pace; he stepped over Eve's legs, falling on his knees to straddle her. Eve struggled to move and screamed. Michael pressed a hand over her mouth, harshly; her neck tilted back from the weight and her scream grew muffled. He held his other hand over her arm, the knife grazing her skin.

"No one can hear you," His words were singsong and he shook his head at her as if scolding a child. "You're all alone. The odd one out,"

Eve struggled under him, her eyes wide and full of fear.

He leaned in closer, his smile widening. Black ooze dripped down onto her face. Eve tried to turn away, hardly able to move under the pressure of his hand. Tears sprung into her eyes and she wrung her arms back and forth, kicking out with her legs. Her right leg struck Michael hard on his inner thigh and he howled in pain.

The sound of footsteps alerted Eve to help arriving. She struggled, adrenaline giving her strength. She tore her arm free from her assailant. He lost his grip as he fought to steady himself. Her mouth became free.

"Help! Someone!" Her voice was ragged with fear.

Michael raised his knife to her throat.

"No one can hear you. No. One," His eyes were wild, full of terror, anger and blood-red veins, slicing their way through the whites of his eyes. The blade sliced the skin of Eve's neck and she squealed.

The footsteps got louder, thumping on the ground behind them; a hand grabbed at the boy's shoulder, yanking him off of Eve, tossing him across the grass. Eve sat up, shakily.

Gally was wrestling the boy on the ground, trying to get a hold on him. But Michael was slick, slippery from the black ooze pouring out of his wound and he escaped the Builder's grasp. He screamed, loudly, eyes wide and lunged at Eve.

"Gally!" Eve's strangled cry was cut short as the Runner landed on her. The knife stuck out of Eve's chest.

"Noooo!" Gally's screamed. He scrambled onto his hands and knees and tackled the Runner to the ground, rolling him off of Eve.

Alby, Newt and the Runners ran around the corner.

The Runners moved forward, surrounding Michael, holding his arms and legs down. The boy screamed, thrashing against his assailants; he was acting more like a spoiled child now, being held back from what he wanted. Gally grabbed him up by the shirt, his whole body shaking.

"Why did you do it? Why her? Why?" His voice was harsh, hoarse with wrath. "You're dead! Do you hear me? You're dead!"

Newt collapsed beside Eve, guilt washing over him. He leaned toward her face; her eyes stared into nothingness, the brightness all but gone.

"Eve, Eve? Can you hear me?" Newt felt his throat tighten, his breath shudder in his chest. "Eve, it's Newt, can you hear me?"

Alby had disappeared, gone for the Med Jacks.

Gally's face was screwed up, tears running down his cheeks, unchecked. He looked frozen, shocked and in disbelief.

Michael screamed in his face, unaware of what he had just down.

"They can see! They can see you all!" His screams were getting louder.

Newt turned out the noise, checking Eve over for any sign of life. The tiniest rise of her chest caught his attention; he reached out to Gally, his eyes wide.

"She's alive Gally! She's still alive! We have to get her to the Med Jacks!"

Gally rolled away from Michael, his movements sedated. He grabbed at her shoulder, her arm, her hand. He kneeled before her, his eyes searching her face.

"Eve? Eve, it's me. It's Gally. Can you hear me? You have to stay with me, you have to- you have to stay with us. The Med Jack's will be here soon, just stay still. They'll be here soon, Eve? Eve?" His voice choked and he bowed his head to the grass; he was sobbing now.

Newt sat back, his own face wet with tears

"I'm sorry," His voice was cracked and he looked away. "I'm so sorry Gally,"

Gally didn't respond, his whole body racked with grief.

"I couldn't save her!" His words were riddled with tears. "I couldn't save her,"

Michaels cries drowned out all other sounds.

They waited for the Med Jacks.

* * *

 **This story is coming to a close. Only about two more chapters left. It's been so much fun creating this story and I appreciate all you reading and giving me your feedback.**


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